One week later, some Phoenixville flood victims still taking stock of damage

Those who have lived in the Port Providence neighborhood the longest say they have never seen anything like it.

ByWalter Perez WPVI logo

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

One week later, some flood victims still taking stock of damage

A community in Phoenixville is still in the dark, one week after the remnants of Hurricane Ida resulted in unprecedented flooding

PHOENIXVILLE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A community in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania is still in the dark, one week after the remnants of Hurricane Ida resulted in unprecedented flooding.

People who live in the Port Providence neighborhood along the Schuylkill River Trail are still assessing the tremendous amount of damage done during last week's torrential storm.

Those who have lived here the longest say they have never seen anything like it.

"We had more water here they say that anybody who was here long enough to remember Agnes in the early 70s. Some stats are saying the highest water since 1854," said Chuck Petersheim.

Governor Tom Wolf has requested President Joe Biden declare a major disaster in Pennsylvania following last's week severe storms.

One week later, most homes remain without power.

For those who rely on their wells, there is no running water either. Then you have the tremendous amount of damage left behind.

Still, as so often happens after a disaster, people from inside and outside the community have done whatever they can to help.

"Everyone has been pitching in. Everyone who's been affected, or not affected, they have been delivering things to the old Mont Clare firehouse," said Andrew Rothfield, whose house was also flooded out.

The potential for severe storms in the forecast Wednesday night was another blow to a neighborhood that's already down.

The worst part is that the people hurt the most by all of this are members of the older generation.

"Most of the people in that neighborhood do not have flood insurance because they did not have a mortgage," Rothman said. "People have lived there for years, most of them have lost everything."