Post-Floods, Detroit Residents Shop for Appliances, Supplies

Detroit-area residents are shopping for appliances and home-repair supplies in droves after recent flooding damaged houses and the property inside.

The Detroit News reports thousands of shoppers visited big-box appliance stores and local retailers over the weekend to purchase everything from washers and driers to furniture and drywall. An Aug. 11 storm dumped up to 6 inches of rain throughout the metropolitan area.

A Madison Heights Home Depot assistant manager says the store has been unusually busy since then. Workers set up a “flood recovery zone” with stocks of cleaning supplies, cardboard boxes and dehumidifiers.

Center Line resident Richard Stys says he had about $9,000 in damage. He and his wife are using homeowner insurance to replace at least four appliances soaked in up to 19 inches of water.