PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The cleanup continues in Chester County after the remnants of Ida brought floods and a tornado last week.
William Turner, Chester County emergency management deputy director, said the first word that comes to mind to describe the aftermath is “catastrophic.”
“We saw our stream … crest 3 to 4 feet almost in some areas over the previous historical marker, which is just unbelievable,” he said. “The amount of debris — I mean, Downingtown, there’s so much debris, they just don’t know where to put it.”
And that’s just Downingtown. Coatesville, East Nottingham near Oxford, Pocopson Township, and Avondale as some of the harder-hit areas.
Turner is urging everyone who had any damage, however minor, to visit the county website and fill out a damage assessment form, which will help as the county applies for federal aid.
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Anyone in need of temporary housing can call the county’s 24/7 hotline at 211.
Emergency officials are still accessing the damage, but as of Friday, they say 30 homes were destroyed, 302 had major damage, 270 had minor damage, and another 109 were affected.
Coatesville has condemned 80 homes, almost all of which were rentals. They are deemed uninhabitable, which doesn’t necessarily mean destroyed. It could mean repairs are needed, like electrical issues, before people are allowed to return.