Franklin Looks Back, Moves On Year After Historic Flood

FRANKLIN, Ind. -- One year ago Sunday, south-central Indiana residents awoke to one of the worst disasters in the state recent memory.

Up to 10 inches of rain drenched the region, leaving behind historic flooding in Franklin and numerous other communities south of Indianapolis.

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About 2,000 people in Johnson County alone requested federal assistance in the wake of the flood, 6News' Sarah Cornell reported. Many of them lost their home and everything inside.

A year later, some of them are still forking over thousands of dollars for repairs to their property.

The flood came in the early-morning hours. Many residents were still sleeping when floodwaters began pouring into their homes. The memories still haunt some.

"I just have nightmares and have trouble sleeping," said Peggy Payton, whose home on a low-lying street was completely destroyed.

Payton was at work when water began entering her home and saw what she'd lost when she arrived home -- "almost all of our furniture downstairs, mainly all the furniture and ... appliances."

Stu Smurthwite lost everything, too, including the three cars in his garage.

"We only got like 8 inches of water, but everything was ruined," he said.

A lot of cosmetic work remains to be done in Franklin, where some signs of the destruction a year ago can still be found.

Seeds for Survivors is a volunteer program that is helping flood victims fix their yards.

"The front of my yard, where they have flowers put in now, was nothing but weeds," said Mary Reyes. "As you can see, most of my rocks were washed away. So, they're going to fix that, too."

At an event held at the center of town on Sunday, flood survivors chatted with other victims and learned about available assistance.

"This is an opportunity for us to reflect on where we were last year, how far we've come to date and how much we still need to do," said Bea Northcott, organizer of the event.

Residents said they hope to celebrate more progress this time next year. Many of them are still awaiting federal buyouts on their homes. No individual received more than $28,000 in aid from FEMA.