- November 26, 2024
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Two years ago, the Oakland-Tildenville Cemetery flooded when a heavy rainstorm hit West Orange County and the town of Oakland. The same cemetery, located on West Colonial Drive, again experienced severe flooding when Hurricane Ian blew through earlier this week.
Nearly half of the gravesites were underwater Thursday morning, Sept. 29, and a large tree separating the cemetery and the Longleaf at Oakland subdivision had fallen onto headstones as well.
Following the 2020 flooding, Pulte Homes, which built the Longleaf community, put three large pumps in the cemetery to get rid of the water that covered dozens of graves.
Pulte Group released a statement:
"Our sympathies go out to the families impacted by the record flooding at the Oakland Cemetery following heavy rainfall from Hurricane Ian, a storm that has been characterized as a historic and catastrophic weather event. Keeping with our commitment to preserving this historic site and being a good neighbor in the community, we continue to help (Florida Department of Transportation) with mitigation efforts to lessen the impact of this devastating natural disaster."
The town does not own the cemetery; the property is owned and operated by a cemetery association.