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Swollen Darby Creek From Tropical Storm Isaias Leaving Behind Destruction In Delaware County

DARBY, Pa. (CBS) -- Isaias is leaving its mark in the Delaware Valley with parts of Southwest Philadelphia still submerged on Wednesday afternoon. The swollen Darby Creek continues to cause trouble for residents in the area of 80th and Lindberg, where residents are dealing with a ton of water.

As the creek slowly recedes, the destruction left behind comes into the picture.

Like an unleashed monster, the Darby Creek swelled and expanded more than a dozen times its normal width on Tuesday, lapping at and overtaking homes and businesses.

Images of evacuations from flash flooding in Southwest Philadelphia told the tale of impact. The creek's level on Tuesday rivaled only that of another storm named Floyd. He barreled through here in 1999.

Darby Police Chief Robert Smythe remembers it well.

"Went through this with Floyd, it was much, much, much worse," Smythe said. "Advantage to us was that we tore down over 90 houses so we're not worried about all those families but we still have businesses."

Spirits were flat Wednesday at Fibbers Suds and Soda.

The Darby Creek uncorked on the beverage business, ravaging it for hours.

Phil Troung says the family business lost an estimated $600,000.

"I would say about 7 feet. The waterline you can see inside the store where it leaves debris," Troung said. "I'm 6-feet tall and it was about a foot above my head. ... My parents have been through this a lot, there's no reason to leave. The creek is bad, but it is what it is."

Darby Town Center owner Patrick Burns says his shopping plaza fared well on Tuesday, by design. It's raised above flood level, but the Fresh Grocer he owns at 69th and Marshall in Upper Darby was left a mess.

"It was crazy. Our workers were in the store, fire company called us and said evacuate everybody. We just barely got out," Burns said.

The creek on Wednesday had since returned to its banks. Just below the MacDade Boulevard bridge, a tree drew onlookers -- something so big, you'd think it had been there forever.

"This right here is amazing. Oh my goodness, I had never seen something like that ever," resident Dawn Dixon said.

A short distance away, the Chester Pike Bridge hasn't reopened. A shipping container slammed into the structure. Inspectors were out sizing up its integrity.

"County bridge on Chester Pike, that's closed because of a dumpster that hit and cracked it. We don't know whether, we're waiting to see how long it'll be closed," Smythe said.

Just down the creek a bit in Southwest Philadelphia, 160 people are still not home after their neighborhood flooded.

Chopper 3 captured the scene as dozens were evacuated on Tuesday evening.

Those who know this body of water remain in awe of its destructive power.

"I've seen this my whole. I've lived it and I've seen this. The creek, all the development upstream just brings this water down here," Burns said.

Darby is a dusty mess as the work continues to try to get some of the businesses cleaned out.

Nobody was hurt.

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