Carly Hale, left, carries her daughter, Cecilia, 9 months, as they evacuate from their home in Sunset Lakes on north Merritt Island due to flooding. She is comforted by her sister, Katy Thomas, who came from Celebration to assist in the evacuation. (Photos by Rik Jesse, FLORIDA TODAY) 
Matt Hale uses a canoe to evacuate his family's essentials from their home in Sunset Lakes on north Merritt Island.
Flooding surprises Merritt Islanders
BY SUSANNE CERVENKAFLORIDA TODAY
MERRITT ISLAND -- Carly Hale clutched her daughter, Cecilia, close to her chest as she waded through the water flooding the streets of her subdivision.
Her husband, Matt, pulled their belongings in a canoe behind him, as the young family made their way to a relative's car that would take them to dry ground in Celebration.
"Our house is filling up," said Carly Hale, as she placed suitcases in the trunk. "It's a mess."
At least a half-dozen homes in the subdivision took on water early Thursday, and countless other Merritt Island neighborhoods found the rain from Tropical Storm Fay lapping at driveways, if not doors.
Brevard County sheriff's deputies responded to six calls from residents asking for help to evacuate, Lt. John Boyd said.
But Fay's torrential rains flooded across Merritt Island. Sunset Lakes was just one subdivision impacted north of State Road 528. The Savannahs, west of Courtenay Parkway, was inundated, as were areas off Pine Island Road.
Brevard County Animal Services rescued horses off Crisafulli Road, relocating them to drier stables in Melbourne.
Floodwaters shut down Newfound Harbor Drive and left South Tropical Trail impassable.
"The water has no place to go," Boyd said. "It's going to get worse before it gets better."
Road were clear Wednesday night, when Beverly Busby left her home off Lucas Road. But she was in awe when she returned at about noon Thursday to thigh-deep waters.
"This is a whole different sight," said Busby, who called the flooding worse than anything hurricanes have brought. "You see this on TV. You don't see it in your neighborhood."
The Hales didn't dare try to drive their car out of Sunset Lakes, after several other cars stalled out in water that reached bumpers and higher.
The Hales began battling the flood when their neighbors called them at 11 p.m. Wednesday. Matt Hale spent the night using wet/dry vacuums to suck the water from the neighbor's home to no avail.
"Their house has more water than ours, but their ride is on the way," Carly Hale said.
She started packing up their belongings at 3 a.m. By 6 a.m., the water entered their home.
Contact Cervenka at 242-3632 or scervenka@floridatoday.com.
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