Mount Holly families kayak to homes due to flooding

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Families in Mount Holly have spent days kayaking to their homes to receive what they could after flooding from Helene.

Residents have noticed a foul smell in the air, which was due to water-soaked carpets, rotten food, and overturned dumpsters.

Overflow from a nearby creek is what likely caused all the flooding.

Latasha Stahlecker told Channel 9 that she had to wade through water in her living room and kitchen inside her unit at The 28 at Mount Holly Apartments.

“It happened so quick in the blink of an eye,” she said.

Firefighters and police forced many of them to leave Thursday night and Friday morning before the entire neighborhood flooded.

Water has since receded.

“The floors were just creek, and I was slipping and sliding on all the mud. And then you can see the water that got soaked into the walls. I couldn’t even open up the closet because it was warped so badly,” said Stahlecker.

She recently bought new appliances and furniture.

“All of it is completely ruined,” Stahlecker said.

Some residents said they have managed to clean up enough to move back in. Others, including Stahlecker, said they are leaving the area.

“It’s scary to think about staying,” she said.

VIDEO: Residents salvage what is left after flooding in Charlotte along river

Residents salvage what is left after flooding in Charlotte along river

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