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Marking one year since severe flash flooding in Lackawanna County

Residents and officials with the city of Scranton are still working to prevent flash flooding in the future.

SCRANTON, Pa. — The memories of flash flooding back on September 9th of 2023 still sit with David Kozlanski of Scranton.

"So many of us that went through so many things," said Kozlanski. "It's almost like a surreal feeling," 

His family's home along Leggett's Creek was one of many that took on feet of water.

In the year since the flooding, the effort to rebuild has been nonstop.

"We're getting a lot of help from neighbors and, and, you know, we did get some help from the city and some other organizations, but it's been slow just rebuilding of all different types, but it's been slow, but with the help of other people and we're just getting by, and we're doing ok," said Kozlanski.

"There's been so much work that has gone in on this last year. In addition to that, we want to acknowledge the trauma of that event," said Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti.

At a news conference Monday afternoon, Mayor Cognetti said the flash flooding caused more than 10 million dollars in damages to both city and private property.

Since then, she says many flood prevention projects have been completed throughout some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods. 

The city has also provided grants and reimbursements for homeowners.

"You remember those $5,000 grants we gave out? We ended up giving out 90 awards. Those were, you know, to help people meet their insurance deductibles, you know, replace their boiler things that were very, very important to those families," said Cognetti.

But for Lenny Srebro of West Scranton, more work still needs to be done.

"So it's three ways that fills up this corner and then just makes its way, you know, from yard to yard," said Srebro.

Since last September, Srebro says several homes and properties along Merrifield Avenue have been flooded again.

Even after several drainage and flood prevention projects were finished.

"One year later, I know in the beginning they were interested in correcting the problem, but it just seems like they lost interest as time went by," said Srebro.

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