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Island Park area struggles with persistent flooding

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People living off Island Park Road are still struggling with the floodwaters for the fourth day in a row, and county officials say they may not see relief for several more days.

One family was seen inside a dumpster truck leaving the Island Park area.

"Definitely didn't anticipate this, but it's good to know people," Janet Carpenter said.

"Sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do just to get out," nine-year-old Justin Mahaffey said.

Roadways in the area look more like canals after the massive amount of rainfall the community saw over the weekend.

"Hurricane Charley was bad, but nothing like this," Chandler Balding said.

"It's more about getting people the help they need; food, water, all sorts of stuff," Greg Duttko said.

Conditions were so bad for some people living there, they had to be rescued from their homes and taken to a Red Cross Shelter in Estero.

"We have 118 people registered here," Ross Hollander, the Shelter Manager said. "And 105 stayed over last night." 

One of those people was 10-year-old Jesus Flores. He lives at Camp Salvidar in Bonita Springs. His neighborhood is completely underwater.

"Where we live, it's like flooded and reaches to your knees," Flores said. "Like you could see fishes and snakes right there. It was scary and surprising."

Greg Smith lives off Island Park Road and said he's ready to see some relief from the flooding.

"For two days now, we've had no rain at all, and I see no improvement whatsoever," Smith said.

Lee County's Director of Natural Resources said it could still be awhile before the waters recede.

"It could be several days before the water levels are what they were prior to the storm," Rolland Ottolini said.