Delaware River Town Finally Back in Business A Year After Flood

A year after a flood heavily damaged the borough of Portland, Pa., the last of the downtown businesses reopened.

Duane Smith, the owner of the Portland Market, reopened his business last Friday. Smith said it took so long to reopen because the entire grocery store was gutted. Cleanup cost $400,000 in insurance money and some out of pocket.

Peter and Angela Hart, who run a drug store in downtown Portland, devoted their entire insurance check to flood-proofing their store, which reopened in March. The carpet is gone and all electric sockets are at least 6 feet from the ground.

“We got it down now,” Peter Hart said. “We’re ready if it happens again but we’re praying it doesn’t.”

___

Information from: The Express-Times,
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com