On June 23, 1972 the greatest property damage natural disaster in American history took place in the populous Wyoming Valley-Harrisburg region of eastern and central Pennsylvania. Hurricane Agnes brought heavy rains from Central America along the Florida coast, across Georgia, through the Middle Atlantic States and on to Pennsylvania and New York. The excessive rains exacerbated the spring thaw in an already heavy rainfall season along the path of the Susquehanna River from southern New York to Harrisburg. The river crested at 40.6 feet (flood stage is 22 feet), broke through dikes and overflowed banks for several hundred miles. Only 7 lives were lost, but property damage was estimated to exceed one billion dollars. More than 100,000 people were directly affected by the flood waters, some 20,-30,OOO permanently dislodged from their homes. Only three businesses remained open in Wilkes-Barre, a city of 35,000 residents. The governor of Pennsylvania was forced to temporarily evacuate the governor's mansion in Harrisburg. All community services were disrupted and many were not restored for months; 35 public schools were inundated and thousands of children began school a month or two late in strange schools with few former acquaintances.
Recovery operations began immediately after the water level receded on ,June 24. Emergency food, shelter, medical care and clothing were provided by organized groups and volunteers. Churches, hospitals, homes, schools and municipal buildings were converted into temporary shelters and distribution centers for basic life sustaining provisions. The Red Cross, National Guard, regular army units, HUD, Catholic Social Services, State Welfare, Family Services, Jewish Welfare, Salvation Army and scores of other agencies immediately began relief operations to provide supplies and to rejoin separated loved ones (at one point more than 20,OOO persons were declared missing). A personal representative of the President set up a Flood Recovery office in Wilkes-Barre.
When it became certain that the lives of the flood victims were no longer threatened by lack of food, water and shelter, the dangers of potentially harmful psychological effects of the crisis situation were apparent. For these flood victims the disruption of family patterns, lack of familiarity of the new physical environment, loss of familiar neighbors, the corner grocery store, the neighborhood school *This project, was sponsored by contrect No.