The clean-up begins in Port Deposit, but the evacuation order had not been lifted

PORT DEPOSIT, Md. - A major portion of Route 222 has reopened after three days. Port Deposit is about a day ahead with the clean-up effort, but still many businesses and homeowners suffered a big set back.

It may be months before the owners of Bees Nest Express have food back on the shelves.

"I kind of wanted to remodel, but not this way," said Jay Brown, the owner.

It's the only mini mart in town, but now the Susquehanna River has taken over.  The water has receded but mud is on the ground; appliances were buried in six feet of water.

"If it's a couple of months, we're looking at $60-70,000 in lost revenue," said Brown.

Brown and his wife saw the water get close to their home, too. A picnic table was swept away several feet from their property.

On Sunday, families on the north end of Port Deposit were allowed back in, only to take some items and survey the damage.

"Furniture, carpet, the flooring where the water seeped through and just a lot of mud and it smells really bad," said Cristina Justice, who lives on Main St.

"Pictures and stuff that you can't replace and stuff like that we just wanted to get out of there," said Jeremy Justice, her husband.

The river rose about 10 feet above flood stage, sending debris onto the roads.
But most of it was gone on Sunday.

"You and I were here to watch that. Right here was the water line and the trash line, a tremendous effort by the State Highway Administration. They came in with bulldozers and dump trucks and they cleaned the street," said Richard Brooks, Director of Emergency Services for Cecil County.

Brooks walked us through town. Inspectors checked about 100 homes, turning on electric, water, and wastewater to many customers.

There was one person missing on this day, Mayor Wayne Tome. The mayor confirmed he went to the Ravens game, leaving council members in charge of the clean-up.

The community took notice.

"Somebody that took on the powers to be of elected town mayor decided in a catastrophe like this to take off and go to the Ravens football game," said Gayle Wysock, GM, CM Tugs.

Still the town is getting a facelift after the worst flooding in 15 years.

The wastewater station on the north end of town is still shut down. As of Sunday night, there was no exact timeframe on when those residents will get to come back home.