1.   Half of the community lies in a flood zone.

2.   A few irked consumers are calling federal officials wondering why they now have to buy the insurance after living in a flood zone for years.

3.   All are in the flood zone of swampy Contentnea Creek.

4.   But in some parts of the flood zone it will be many months, and perhaps even years, before life is fully normal again.

5.   But news that the flood zone was crawling with snakes set him shivering.

6.   But there is stiff political opposition to even modest proposals to get people out of flood zones.

7.   Even homeowners in a flood zone who carry coverage from the National Flood Insurance Program may be out of luck, unless the flooding is from a rising river.

8.   Lenders are now hiring firms to help them determine if properties are in a flood zone and to monitor their status over the life of the loan.

9.   Money also would be used to protect wetlands and natural flood zones.

10.   Most of the flood zone can be reached only by helicopter.