Updated
Updated · WLWT Cincinnati · Aug 15
Metamora Begins Flood Cleanup After Whitewater River Destroys 1/3 of Shop Inventory
Updated
Updated · WLWT Cincinnati · Aug 15

Metamora Begins Flood Cleanup After Whitewater River Destroys 1/3 of Shop Inventory

3 articles · Updated · WLWT Cincinnati · Aug 15

Summary

  • Several feet of Whitewater River floodwater left Metamora businesses and homes coated in mud and debris, pushing the historic Indiana town into the first stage of recovery.
  • About one-third of the inventory at Mr. Ed's Antiques and Candy Shoppe was destroyed, owner Sharon Wessel said, including records, vintage furniture and baseball cards collected over roughly 40 years.
  • Duke Energy crews arrived Friday to restore power as residents and volunteers hauled out water-damaged belongings and cleared buildings.
  • Donation sites at the Metamora Grist Mill and the Indiana Farm Bureau office in Brookville are distributing cleaning supplies, toiletries and fans while Franklin County gathers damage assessment forms to measure losses across southeastern Indiana.

Insights

With historic crests and no flood insurance, how will Metamora residents survive the looming financial crisis after the waters recede?
Beyond the ruined antiques, what irreplaceable pieces of Indiana's history were permanently erased by the Whitewater River's devastating surge?
As emergency crews rescue trapped animals and residents, what hidden dangers still lurk in the historic town's muddy aftermath?