Video: Monroe County Residents Drying Things out After Flooding

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MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) -Many residents in Monroe County are left picking up the pieces of their homes, businesses, and churches after flood waters moved in.

A local expert says the recovery process can take weeks, even months to rebuild from water damage. WCBI’s Renae Skinner has the story.

Instead of a call to worship, members of North Hillcrest Church of Christ in Aberdeen received another call. It was to tell them they had no place to worship Sunday morning.

“When we walked in the building you could see that the water levels were high, pews were flipped….in the children’s classroom it was so bad that the supplies were scattered all over the yard.”

It’s the second church in Monroe County to receive major flood damage.

“They had told us it was going to take several months to be repaired.”

It’s a similar story in many parts of the area. Fire and water recovery expert Chris Scribner says it’s a circumstance that can be dangerous and expensive if you don’t have insurance.

“It could go up to 50 or 60 thousand dollars easily”

“The type of water you’re dealing with now is considered black water which contains contaminates that may cause bodily harm.”

“One thing that is going for them right now is the temperature. It’s colder so its not going to allow any fungi to grow as fast”

Meanwhile, church members say these walls can be rebuilt, but the people who worship here can’t.

“We are always going to have somewhere to worship. Despite the building being destroyed we are still the church.”

Scribner also says residents should make sure the power and gas are cut off inside the building.

The congregation we spoke with says it will use the Hamilton Church of Christ building until they figure out their next move.