. >> reporter: roberto estrada spent the day cleaning up the mud around his home. that job will be nothing compared to getting rid of what is inside it. >> you could see the water, it's full of water in the basement. >> reporter: the basement holds five feet of water and mud. the family has been faced with difficult living conditions for about two days. [ speaking non-english ] we have no water over there. i went to collect some water. >> we don't have any food, we don't have any water. we have one packet of water, bottled, and so that's why i decided to just leave my home. >> reporter: some who decided not to evacuate and ride out the height of the flood are now abandoning town even as the waters have largely receded. others who did not leave would like to get back in, but cannot as the town is sealed off. if you live, you can't come back. a lot of frustrated residents would like to. >> i tell them the same. i'd rather have people frustrated and mad at me than did. >> the emergency like the weather is ongoing with currently no schedule for a reentry here. >> no wa

. >> roberto estrada says the rising flood water seeped into his basement, leaving it muddy. but thankfully never reached the first floor where he lives. >> the water went all the way to the first floor of the house, but they went through the basement. and pouring in more water with that pump. >> reporter: he has decided to stay. he has electricity, but no running water. he doesn't intend to abandon it or his animals right now. >> i have chickens, dogs, parakeets, and i cannot move with all the animals. >> reporter: plus, the situation is getting marginally better. the floodwaters have receded a bit, although some roads look more like a river than anything else. crews are working nonstop to repair the levee that caused all the problems in the first place. >> he walked over himself and he didn't need to be rescued. >> reporter: ruth ruiz and her family left pajaro in the dark on saturday morning. the floodwaters were rising and it was simply time to go. but four days later, she feels she is still in the dark about when she can return and what recovery will look like. >> we don