Sept. 1, 2022, is the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida and its devastation across S.E. Pa., including Montgomery County. Upper Dublin residents are pausing to remember the toll it took, on real estate, on assets, and on the general psyche. Jasmine Payoute reported the ongoing healing there for CBS Philly.

Upper Dublin was not only swamped by the torrential rains from the hurricane, it also was flattened by a EF2 twister that spun off the storm. Heavy winds ripped trees from their roots, spinning them into giant nunchuks that battered homes and businesses.

Blue tarpaulins still cover work-in-progress restoration efforts on neighborhood properties.

Resident Meghan Walker’s horror at the sight of her home town in the immediate aftermath is still vivid.

“It felt like I stepped into a different dimension,” she remembered. “It looked like there was a zombie apocalypse or something. I was really scared; I was crying; I didn’t know what to do.”

In the 365 days that followed, the community drew together, both physically and emotionally.

And although there are still displaced residents in area, this week’s priority is to commemorate the progress made and recommit to ongoing restoration.

“It’s a time to reflect on everything we’ve been through this past year, but it’s really a good place where we are now,” Shannon Cavanaugh, a local, said.

More on Upper Dublin and its year-long journey back to normalcy is at CBS Philly.