Manayunk, Hot Spot For Flooding, Sees Most Water In Area In Hundred Years From Ida's Remnants
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Manayunk is known to be a hot spot for flooding, but even for residents who are used to high water, the scenes Thursday have been shocking.
Now that the water has receded, it is all hands on deck. These business owners are working through the night without power to get their businesses up and running.
On the other side of Main Street in Manayunk, part of the Schuylkill River raged through Philadelphia County.
Businesses and restaurants have evacuated the area. Many have been preparing for these severe conditions since Wednesday morning, but this was the most water this area has seen in a hundred years.
"It was more than we anticipated. We are pretty resilient around here. We've had a lot of stuff going on the last couple of years and we've seen water. We need help from the city to come out here and pump some of these basements out," Gwen McCauley of the Manayunk Business Association said. "And when the water recedes, we need them to spray down the streets and get them cleaned up."
Some businesses are hopeful they will reopen by this weekend, but others say it could up to a month before they are up and running.
Pizzeria l'Angolo was one of many businesses damaged from the raging floodwaters of the Schuylkill River.
"We are cleaning a lot of mud. No catfish, but a lot of mud," Chris Meyers said.
That's the soul of Manayunk -- a joke and smile, the winning combination to get these neighbors through as they begin to rebuild.
"Everything, it was all water damage. Everything inside is like destroyed," business owner Brian Domergue said.
Domergue's CPA firm is in between two pizzerias. All three are pumping water from their basements.
Across the street at Manayunk Brewery, its appliances were washed up against the fence. Workers say it'll be a month before they reopen.
On higher grounds, Eyewitness News spoke with state and local leaders as they assess the aftermath.
"I've been a Philadelphian all my life and I've never seen anything like this," Sheriff Rochelle Bilal said.
"These are businesses that were devastated by COVID mitigations and now have been devastated by the weather," State Sen. Sharif Street said.
Meanwhile, businesses owners took matters into their own hands.
"I think everything will be there, hopefully by Tuesday or Wednesday," Domergue said.
"You can't give up. Sitting on the couch ain't going to help you," Meyers said.
Resilient, these business owners say they can't afford to close.
Pizzeria l'Angolo says they've already had to close one location because of COVID and they can't afford to close this one too.
