Neighbors concerned about safety after viral video shows major flooding on street in downtown Durham

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A flooding video taken in downtown Durham after severe storms move through the area has gone viral.

Cyril and Dakota Jolly have lived in the Northwood Street Community for a decade, and shared the video to social media.

"This was definitely the deepest we've gotten in a while. We were surprised by that. And the rain just wasn't letting up. So we knew it was just going to continue to get worse," said Dakota.

Flooding along Madison and Northwood Circle intersection has become normal to those who live there. However on Wednesday the viral video shows water gushing out of the storm drains.

"With the new buildings going up, the community has tried to work with the city to get them to fix the issue because there's more people using the space. And this spot right, here behind us is where all of Old North Durham's water drains. And so in the video that you saw, it's actually water coming out of the sewer because the drains are behind us," said Cyril.

ALSO SEE Durham native cleaning up youth athletic field damaged in Chantal flooding: 'Big mess'

Around the corner on Foster Street, a new restaurant, Tataco, experienced flooding as well.

While visitors may not be aware of the dangerous conditions, neighbors are trying to get out the word and get help from the city. They worry about what's to come.

"That's our biggest concern. Durham needs to step up and fix this problem. There are other problems, too, like we have to plan infrastructure," said Cyril.

The City of Durham issued a statement addressing the flooding concerns in the area:

"We understand residents' concerns about flooding near Madison and Northwood, and we know how stressful and disruptive this has been for those who live and work in the area.

City staff have inspected the stormwater system in this neighborhood several times over the years. In 2020, we worked with our colleagues in the Water Management Department to reroute some of the stormwater pipes into the public right-of-way to help reduce routine flooding near 309 Northwood Street. However, much of the system downstream is on private property and is likely undersized, with pipes running beneath buildings.

To help address ongoing issues, a project in this area was recently approved through the City's Equitable and Green Infrastructure Program. This fiscal year, we plan to hire a consultant to study the system-both public and private-and design improvements aimed at reducing minor flooding during typical storms. While this work should improve drainage in the area, heavy rain events may still cause occasional street flooding.

We are also following up to ensure added signage is in place, warning of potential flooding at this location.

We're committed to helping neighborhoods like this one better prepare for future storms."