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Tropical Storm Lee: One Year Later in Bloomsburg

BLOOMSBURG — The images are shocking. Houses, businesses and the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds, all underwater. Tropical Storm Lee caused major damage to parts o...

BLOOMSBURG -- The images are shocking. Houses, businesses and the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds, all underwater. Tropical Storm Lee caused major damage to parts of Columbia County.

"Everything, your whole life was messed up," said Bonnie Steimer.

Bonnie Steimer stayed on the second floor of her house on West First Street during the flood of 2011. She had 2.5 feet of water inside her home and lost furniture.

"It was unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it before. The house actually shook," said Steimer.

Steimer spent the past year replacing the floors and walls inside her house. People who live on Main Street in Bloomsburg are also still rebuilding their properties. Art Ventures Framery reopened two months after the flood, but the owner said the building still needs some work.

"Floor ripped up, the bottom parts of the dry-wall everywhere. Also we did some precautionary work by raising tables up and raising everything up. If another flood comes we have a place to put everything," said Ed Giannattasio.

Not all of the property owners decided to rebuild. One of the hardest hit areas in Bloomsburg is the 900 block of Main Street. Eleven of the 14 houses are going to be torn down as part of a buy-out.

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