MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Thursday started out bad for some folks in Frayser and only got worse. After the rain and flooding stopped, neighbors on Mountain Terrace Street still faced a big cleanup.

Many evacuated Thursday morning after a rain-swollen ditch near their homes began to spill over into the street, their yards, and then inside their homes.

MLGW turned off their electricity as a safety measure, but some people decided to stay and watch over their property.

One of them was Priscilla Lester, who sat alone on the front porch of her home on Mountain Terrace Street in Frayser.

She’s been without electricity since Thursday morning, but she and her dog are staying put.

“They said that you could leave, that you need to leave. But you don’t have to,” said Lester.

Her home is one of more than two dozen flooded Thursday morning following torrential rains.

The high water forced residents like James Bryant  to seek higher ground.

Bryant said the storm was quite a wake-up call, but it’s not the first time the street has flooded.

“House flooded, cars flooded. Everything on the floor was floating out the front door,” said Bryant.

Memphis firefighters went house to house checking on folks, some of whom had to be rescued by boat. Many of them then got on a MATA bus and were taken to a temporary shelter at Ed Rice Community Center.

Ereka Guy was forced to leave her Frayser home and had no idea what she was going to do.

“Go where ever we can until further notice. Can’t get no clothes or nothing cause everything wet and messed up,” said Guy.

Some people loaded cars and vans up with personal possessions, fearful thieves might strike while flood victims were elsewhere.

“Cause they gonna come and break in. They ready for us to leave,” said Robert Seymore.

Thursday afternoon, workers with Arnold Rental Properties in Memphis were boarding up some of the houses that had been evacuated. Shelly Cruze, the firm’s manager, said plywood over doors and windows will help dissuade burglars from  taking advantage of flood victims.

“It is a well-known fact that if we don’t board these houses up, people will come and rob them of everything they do have left that is worth keeping.   Sad situation, but that’s the truth to it,” said Cruze.

In the meantime, it’s going to be a long night for Lester, who has a taser in one hand and a shotgun not far away.

She said she’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect what’s hers.

“What we got, we need it. Where the money going to come from? I mean I want what I paid for,” said Lester.

It’s unknown when people may be able to move back into their homes on Mountain Terrace or when the electricity is expected to be turned back on.