Delridge residents still mopping basements

After thousands of gallons of water poured into her basement in last week's storm, Sherry Bell found a 12-by-6-foot chain-link dog run in her backyard. It had floated over fences from a yard two doors down.

Residents said two storm drains backed up Thursday night and flooded a half-dozen houses in a Delridge neighborhood near 18th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Elmgrove Street.

"You could have floated a boat out here," said Carl Weinberger, 69, who has lived in the neighborhood for 32 years.

Neighbors still cleaning up storm water Wednesday said they waded through waist-deep water in their basements as their washers and dryers floated by last week. Bathroom sinks were still streaked with mud, and many had piled what had been in their basements into the backyards.

No one was hurt in the flooding.

"We've had reports from around the city of storm drains being clogged as a result of this storm, ranging from leaves to pieces of trees," Seattle Public Utilities spokesman Andy Ryan said.

Utility officials sent workers to Delridge to inspect the damage and distribute claim forms. They will evaluate claims, case by case, to determine whether the city is responsible.

The utility is also looking into flooding at about 30 houses in Madison Valley, after a detention pond overflowed at East John Street and 30th Avenue East. That area also endured flooding in 2004, and the city ended up paying homeowners $1.2 million for their claims.

A few blocks north of the pond, Kate Fleming, 41, died after being trapped in her flooded basement. The utility is investigating that incident separately.

The small valley in Delridge has not dealt with storm water backing up before, residents said.

On Thursday night, they said, water gushed out of street storm drains, knocked down several fences and poured into people's yards and basements. Bell, a single mother, said her 12-year-old son called her "in hysterics" and told her to come home.

The tenants in the basement apartment she rents out — a mother and two kids — had to move out.

"I hope people realize they need to prepare — have a little extra money in the bank," said Bell, a retail manager who has taken time off to clean up. "I couldn't prepare for this."

Sharon Pian Chan: 206-464-2958 or schan@seattletimes.com