'We need it to stop raining.' Floodwaters batter Main Street businesses in Livingston Manor
Business owners begin cleanup after heavy rain inundated downtown. Sullivan County officials say Livingston Manor and Liberty were among the communities hardest hit by the storms.
More Stories
Closed doors, soaked floors and industrial fans greeted customers in downtown Livingston Manor by late Wednesday morning as business owners cleaned up after floodwater surged through Main Street.
Sullivan County officials tell News 12 Livingston Manor and Liberty experienced some of the most significant impacts from the storms, with crews continuing to assess damage.
Video and photos captured by resident Michelle Mills show floodwater rushing through downtown and surrounding neighborhoods as roads became impassable and water quickly rose. Mills says several inches of water also flooded her own basement as she documented the storm.
“The rivers here are raging and more rain is due over the next few days,” Mills said. “This could get even uglier. But so far everyone has gotten to safety.”
By late Wednesday morning, the floodwaters had receded, but the cleanup was well underway.
Behind Main Street, the swollen Willowemoc Creek continued rushing by as firefighters checked on businesses and property owners assessed the damage.
“We were one of the luckier ones,” said Meg McNeill, owner of Sunshine Colony wine bar and a nearby wine store. “We got a couple feet in our basement at our wine store.”
McNeill says the flooding was the worst she has seen since opening her businesses in Livingston Manor nearly a decade ago.
“The town has flooded before, but this is the worst we’ve seen in our time,” she said. “In past floods, people have lost their lives, and everyone is safe, so that’s really the best thing any of us can ask for.”
At Madison’s Stand, Evelyn Tetenes says floodwater reached one of the business’s commercial refrigerators, leaving her uncertain about the extent of the damage.
“It’s such a wonderful town, and it’s kind of sad to see this happen to everyone here,” she said. “I hope the damage is limited for everybody and things get back to normal really fast.”
Fallsburg Town Supervisor Nathan Steinhart says the town appears to have escaped with limited damage overall. He says highway crews and fire departments are continuing to assess conditions.
Residents say the flooding brought back memories of previous deadly floods in Livingston Manor, making many especially grateful that no injuries were reported this time.
Additional rain is expected, though forecasters say the threat of significant flooding has diminished.
