Warehouse owner says flooding destroyed most of his inventory
>>> THE CLEANUP CONTINUES IN
SMITHFIELD, AND THE CLEANUP IS
BECOMING TOO MUCH FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES.
>> Reporter: HUNDREDS OF SMALL
BUSINESSES TAKING A BIG HIT,
OWNERS PICKING UP THE PIECES
AND ASSESSING THE DAMAGE,
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY,
ANYWAY TO KEEP THE BUSINESSES
AFLOAT.>> THE WATER STARTED
Reporter: INSIDE, HE DOES NOT
LOOK MUCH BETTER.
>> THIS COULD BE IT FOR US.
THIS COULD BE THE END OF OUR
COMPANY.
>> Reporter: THE END OF THE
PARRY HARRIS FAMILY IMPORT
BUSINESS, AND HE TOLD THE FOUR
CHILDREN THEY NEED TO LOOK FOR
WORK ELSEWHERE, 15 YEARS OF
HARD WORK WASHED AWAY IN ONE
MIGHTY STORM.
>> IT HAS BEEN TRAUMATIC FOR
US.
>> Reporter: 2 FEET OF WATER
MOVING THROUGH WHAT WAS ONCE
NOT CONSIDERED A FLOOD ZONE,
CLOSE TO $2 MILLION OF LOSSES,
AND HE THINKS HE COULD QUALIFY
FOR THE FEDERAL DISASTER LOANS,
BUT CAN HE REPAY THE LOANS.
>> WHEN YOU GO OUT, AND THERE
ARE PEOPLE LIKE US ALL OVER
EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA, AND I
HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL
HELP THESE SMALL BUSINESSES
THAT ARE TYPICALLY SOMETIMES
OVERLOOKED.
>> THERE IS NO COMING BACK FROM
THIS WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.
>> Reporter: MOVING THE
FABRICATOR BUSINESS HERE 15
MONTHS AGO, AND HE SAID HE
ADJUSTED SETTLED THEN WHEN
EVERYTHING WAS WASHED OUT.>> WE
WILL NOT BE BACK UP AND RUNNING
BEFORE MARCH OF NEXT YEAR.
>> Reporter: THEY ARE
OPTIMISTIC, BUT THEY KNOW THEY
CANNOT DO THIS ALONE, AND SO
FAR THEY HAVE NOT HAD TO.
>> I WOULD SAY THAT FRIENDS AND
THE COMMUNITY HAVE KEPT US
GOING.
WE'VE HAD AN OUTPOURING FROM
THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT
HAVE COME TO ASK WHAT THEY CAN
DO.>> THEY ARE HOPING TO RECOUP
SOME OF THE LOSSES BY HOLDING A
FLOOD SALE, CHRISTMAS
ORNAMENTS, COLLEGE., SELLING IT
ALL, AND THE HURRICANE SELF IS
TOMORROW AND SATURDAY FROM 9 AM
TO 5 PM IN SMITHFIELD.>> SO
MANY PEOPLE AFFECTED BY ONE
STORM, THANK YOU.