New Jersey

Man's Ocean City House Becomes an Island Due to Intense Flooding

Record flooding stranded residents inside their homes in many Jersey Shore towns as a powerful snowstorm battered the eastern U.S. on Saturday.

The massive winter storm dumped up to 30 inches on parts of the region, causing historic coastal flooding and widespread power outages along numerous Jersey Shore towns.

Residents — many with homes already partially underwater — weathered a second high tide Sunday morning. Several said flooding was worse than what they saw during Superstorm Sandy.

Gus Herrera, a homeowner in Ocean City, Cape May County, said he tried for hours Saturday to get to his family in Somers Point but was trapped by floodwaters that turned his house into an island.

"I’ve tried to get out since 8’clock in the morning, but when I woke up, it was already flooded," Herrera told NBC10.

Herrera, who has has lived at the Ocean City home for 10 years, said the last time he saw such significant flooding was during Sandy in 2012.

"I'm afraid it’s going to be like Sandy, but hopefully not," Herrera said.

In North Wildwood, floodwaters surpassed those spurred by Sandy. Mayor Patrick Rosenello told NBC10 that Saturday morning’s flooding was half a foot higher than what his town experienced in 2012.

Rosenello said residents called emergency personnel after water began entering their homes. Some residents were evacuated from their homes and an emergency shelter was opened.

"This is my second disaster," said Wildwood resident Antonio Velasquez said, through tears. "My second time that I'm going to lose everything."

A new record high tide was also registered at the Cape May Harbor and in Lewes, Delaware.

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