MONROE TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- People living in Bradford County are still trying to get back on their feet one week after flooding devastated the area.
Rickey Hinckley and his 16-year-old son Dalton were still inside their home in South Branch in Monroe Township when flood waters swept the house away.
“We went up to the second floor, back in my bedroom, and stood there for about 5-10 minutes. Then the whole house shifted off its foundation,” Hinckley said.
The house fell apart after an hour of floating on Towanda Creek, destroying everything inside.
Hinckley and his son clung to trees for four hours before they were rescued by a helicopter. They said they even got hypothermia.
“It's hard to believe how much force is in that water. A two-story house like that just washed away just like a piece of paper,” Hinckley said.
Neighbors just down the street are also dealing with flooding aftermath. Gerry Yost lost his shed, trucks, and even his home.
“Well, [flood waters] were moving the building we were standing in and pulling it apart. What do you do,” Yost said.
The flood waters were so strong they even destroyed bridges in the neighborhood. Parts of the guide rail are still in the creek.
“It picked up my 15- by 24-foot pole shed, pulled the poles right out of the ground, and destroyed it in my yard. It picked vehicles up and moved them,” neighbor Tim Benjamin said.
Even though Hinckley lost everything he owns in the flood, he’s grateful his family is safe.
“I'm just happy to be alive,” Hinckley said.
Hinckley and his family are staying with friends on higher ground. He is hoping flood insurance will help his family down the road.