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Flood Cleanup Continues in Luzerne County

The recovery continues more than seven months after the Susquehanna River overflowed its banks and flooded hundreds of homes in Luzerne County. Still, close to ...

The recovery continues more than seven months after the Susquehanna River overflowed its banks and flooded hundreds of homes in Luzerne County.

Still, close to 100 volunteers took advantage of the warm weather Monday and helped folks cleanup and rebuild.

Dirt, debris and garbage can still be seen along some streets in Luzerne County from September's flood that took out homes and people's livelihoods.

"This isn't you got forced out of your home, you lost everything, all your possessions, all your pictures that you don't have backups to," said volunteer Tom Harris.

Harris lived not too far from the home on Mitchell Street in Plains Township. His home was wiped away when the Susquehanna overflowed its banks in September.

He and his family are still rebuilding and living in a FEMA trailer.

Still, he and other volunteers banded together to cleanup and rebuild other people's homes.

He and other volunteers said their work helps out those who lost everything.

"They're just about at the end of their money, their time. They don't know where to turn next and when volunteers come in, they watch their house come back and they are so pleased," said Edward Hartman of Carpenter's Calling Mission.

They are doing everything from gutting to framing, to sheet rocking and painting and volunteers said they still need all the help they can get.

"We will have people here from all over the country working in the valley trying to help people get back in their homes," said Doug Sivers of United Methodist Church, "but we could always use more volunteers local or otherwise."

If you want to help out, contact Doug Sivers at the disaster Recovery Coalition at 570-829-1341.

They will be doing projects all summer long.

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