Orange, Rockland & Westchester County Residents Worried About More Flooding
SUFFERN, N.Y. (CBS 2) -- The returning rains are further fraying nerves in the disaster areas north of the city.
On Wednesday, CBS 2's Lou Young got a look at reversing fortunes in a three-county flood zone that includes Orange, Rockland and Westchester.
Overnight rain water joined swollen waterways rushing to the sea. People who have just finished drying out businesses look at places like the brimming Saw Mill River with alarm.
Aid requests and small business loan applications are stacking up quickly.
"What's going to happen in two weeks from now or six months from now if this happens again? So I have to make sure I'm able to withstand this," restaurant owner Leo Kattorini told Young.
East of the Hudson, in Suffern, the Mahwah River slides by ever closer to Richie Karpp's basement. The sump pumps are still warm from last week's flood.
"It keeps raining. Now it's going to rain today, maybe stop and then maybe rain again tomorrow. But what do you do?" Karpp asked.
In the flood zone, you keep cleaning the thousand flood-drenched businesses, including an industrial park in Cornwall.
The clean-up efforts, though, take on additional urgency when the folks look outside and see things like Moodna Creek. Its waters were receding, but began rising again on Wednesday afternoon.
"That creek is getting higher," said Sam Brach of Northeast Advance Technology.
Brach is trying to salvage expensive industrial diamond cutting machines. The sound of rushing water tells him he'll probably have to move.
"I don't think it's wise for me to stay here unless the landlord gets quick help," Branch said.
The clock is ticking for everyone. The persistent rains only remind them that it could happen all over again.
Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below.
