Neighbors In Need Of Help After Levee Breach

Does anybody care? That’s the question — those flooded out of their homes in the lower valley this weekend — are asking Monday night… as they try to begin cleaning up the soggy mess.

About 30 homes were impacted Saturday morning when a Franklin canal levee breached in the Ramos neighborhood. Residents say they need help.

“Nobody’s here to guide us,” said Ana Espinoza, representing the neighbors of the Ramos neighborhood.

A blower sits inside a home in the lower valley …while the city’s building inspector, Tom Maguire digs through the walls.

“He’s the only one that showed up right now, 5 till 4,” said Espinoza.

Residents have been given the o-k to go back to their homes, but some wonder to what?

” There’s nothing there, we’ve lost everything, ” said one of three young men…now left living out of their van.

“We did lose a lot of food that we had in the fridge…all our clothes is gone we had to throw everything this is all we have.”

“Emma Acosta’s office is on the phone…she’s still in meetings and will not be available to respond yet,” said another frustrated neighbor.

Many neighbors coming together as they anxiously wait for help to show up.

“In three days the city rep has not come down here,” said Espinoza.

City Rep Emma Acosta answered right away when we called. Acosta told ABC-7 she’s been busy working from her office getting her constituents help. Acosta sent ABC-7 a list including calls to the city’s street, environmental, health and police and fire departments.

“These are elderly people, handicapped people, people who pay taxes, people who vote for you,” said Espinoza.

Meanwhile, Maguire says he hasn’t seen anything that causes him any alarm.

“It doesn’t look like they suffered major structural damage,” said Maguire.

But try telling that to those who have lost it all…other than the floor and walls of their home.

“We lost our bed we lost our clothes, we lost everything.”

City Rep Emma Acosta finally made it out to the neighborhood around seven o’clock Monday evening. Neighbors were upset that it took her so long to tour the area and they confronted her about not answering their phone calls. Acosta says she didn’t find out about the flooding until late Saturday and that ever since then, she’s been working hard to help residents. Acosta tells ABC-7 that she can help residents more from her office. As for the insurance situation — it is being provided by the El Paso Water District, but as of Monday…the insurance adjusters had not shown up.