MADISON, Ind. (WDRB) -- Many of Josh Loechler's possessions, after steeping in muddy water, are now stacked under a blue tarp on the porch of his Madison, Indiana, home on Walnut Street. There's only so much the sunlight can do at this point, but he's trying to salvage whatever he can.
His brand new MacBook? Gone. His collection of electric guitars? Destroyed. Family photos? Possibly savable.
When a flash flood filled the nearby Crooked Creek on the night of Jun. 18 into the early morning hours Jun. 19, the water rushed rapidly up Loechler's wooden porch and flowed like a flume from his home's front door out the back door.
Firefighters rescued him to a safer spot across the street.
"I sat there for about an hour and a half and watched muddy creek water and trees and all sorts of debris and vehicles float down," he said.
For Loechler, it's an exhausting predicament. An elderly relative's home next door was also flooded. His jobsite, a few doors down, was hit as well.
Damaged belongings inside Loechler's home. (WDRB Photo)
Dozens of others in Madison are experiencing a similar situation. The city estimates that around 75 to 80 homes and businesses were impacted by the sudden flash flood. More than 30 people had to be rescued with a watercraft, including Loechler, off Walnut Street. So far, the street department has removed more than 80 tons of debris.
Monday night, many of the flood victims showed up at a fire station in Madison to get the latest information on the recovery effort from Mayor Bob Courtney.
Courtney said Madison is working with state and federal partners to deliver flood victims help, but first, the city needs those impacted to complete damage assessments, which can be found at this link. Copies can also be picked up at Madison City Hall.
Neighbors are briefed by Madison Mayor Bob Courtney. (WDRB Photo)
"From there, we'll be working with other governmental agencies on an emergency disaster declaration, and then, we'll try to identify what financial assistance as well as assistance in the recovery process would look like," he said.
As for the creek, which neighbors like Loechler say has flooded the area before, Courtney said it's something the city is also considering.
"We'll look at all future capabilities to mitigate this," he said. "However, the bottom line is, this was a very, very torrential downpour...in a very short period of time, and it overwhelmed everything: all the tributaries and all the storm drains. So, they did — in my opinion — work the way they were intended."
A flood-damaged road in Madison. (WDRB Photo)
Courtney added that the area of Walnut Street that flooded is considered a Special Flood Hazard Area.
For now, the clean-up continues, as neighbors like Loechler assess what was damaged and find a way to keep going.
A photo of a business taken during the flash flood. (Source: Josh Loechler)
"My main concern is nobody got hurt. You know, all the materials can be replaced," he said.
According to Courtney, the Madison Regatta — scheduled for this week — should not be altered or impacted by the flood aftermath.
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