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Lumberton residents begin to clean up homes off Keith road after Harvey

Residents who live off Keith road and Cooks Lake road in southern Hardin County are still miserable and picking up the pieces after flooding.

Residents who live off Keith road and Cooks Lake road in southern Hardin County are still miserable and picking up the pieces after flooding.

Keith road is closed for drivers coming off Highway 69 at the exit because the street is still flooded.

The Lumberton Police department said residents can access their homes off Keith road if they take Park road.

LaRanda Pippin headed back to her home for the first time since she evacuated from Harvey.

She said the place she called home for the last three years was completely flooded with water.

“It flooded up all the way to the roof you could see the tip of my house…my car was completely underwater it was gone,” said Pippin.

Pippin said it was difficult to sort through her items and decide what she wanted to keep or throw out in the trash.

“I’ve cried myself to sleep several nights, I didn’t know what I was going to do or how I was going to get the money,” said Pippin.

Luckily, she was able to save precious pictures of her daughter Paris and son Britain.

She said the most touching thing was when she found a journal from her daughter’s baby book.

"I actually hadn't seen this until right now, it says trust in the lord with all your heart on the cover and yeah that’s what you have to do," said Pippin.

Other residents like Carlos Hughes decided to wait out Harvey by staying at his home along with his son.

“Leaving was never an option…we had looters over here we persuaded them to leave in a forceful way,” said Hughes.

Hughes said Harvey flooded the first floor of his home causing major damage to several of his belongings. He explains the water almost reached the top story of his house and the only way he could leave was by getting into a canoe.

Several of the homes in the neighborhood were surrounded by flood water after Harvey. Now the neighborhood is filled with rows of trash as residents clean out their homes.

"What do they say, life is 20 percent of what happens to you and 80 percent is how you react so what are you going to do lay down and cry, we got to get to work," said Hughes.

Drivers can check out the conditions on the road here and find out what roads are closed or may have water over them still.

The Hardin county Sheriff’s office said residents will need to show your driver’s license if you are traveling on Park road to get to Keith Road.

About 1800 Hardin County homes are considered a total loss.

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