Metamora Residents and Business Owners Begin Slow Recovery After Devastating Tri-State Flooding

METAMORA, Ind. (WXIX) — Nearly a week after catastrophic flash flooding devastated parts of the Tri-State area, residents and business owners in some of the hardest-hit communities are only just beginning the daunting process of cleaning up and rebuilding.

The storms, which struck last week, dumped several months’ worth of rain in just a matter of hours across multiple neighborhoods. The sudden deluge overwhelmed local waterways, turning streets into raging rivers and trapping residents in their homes.

Among the most severely impacted areas is Metamora, a historic town in Franklin County, Indiana. Days after the initial rainfall, many homes and local businesses in the area remain partially submerged or heavily damaged by standing water.

For local resident Cathleen Tepe and local business owner Sharon Wessel, the reality of the damage is staggering.

“We had water that was 8 inches deep throughout this floor, and the entire basement was flooded,” Tepe said. “We’re still trying to get water and that out of here.”

Faced with massive losses, those affected have been working around the clock, relying on a steady stream of support from both loved ones and complete strangers.

“We’ve been at it day and night—my husband and I and all of the volunteers, family, friends, volunteers we don’t even know—just people that walk in and say, ‘What can I do?’” Wessel said.

Collective effort has made a significant dent in the cleanup, helping clear out basements so the remaining water could be pumped out. However, as the initial cleanup wraps up, the need for skilled labor has become urgent.

Both Cathleen and Sharon noted that they are now in need of volunteers who can assist with professional contract work, specifically electrical and plumbing repairs, to make the structures safe and functional again.

Cathleen and her family has a GoFundMe set up to help fund their repairs. Sharon and her husband hope to have their shop open by the first weekend of October.

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