Thousands of residents of Binghamton and its surrounding areas who were displaced from their homes last week by the rising tides of the Susquehanna River are still waiting for news that they can return home.

“When you see the extent of the damage, that no one lost their life, it really is a small miracle,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said after surveying the region by helicopter Friday. “And that is the silver lining.”

RECEDING WATERS

According to the National Weather Service, the Susquehanna River has dropped down to 8.63 feet in Conklin, about 10 miles down river from Binghamton. As the waters recede, some have begun to return home.

Binghamton Mayor Matt Ryan said that officials have begun modifying evacuation orders issued in neighborhoods prone to flooding so that people whose homes are not under water can return. Some of the evacuated Binghamton-area residents had already begun returning on Friday, including Binghamton University students living in the Downtown area.

“We’re going to redraw the lines to make sure anyone who should go back, can go back so they don’t feel like they’re doing anything wrong,” Ryan said.

Several Binghamton bridges that had been flooded in the storm have been reopened for regular use, including the Court Street Bridge and the State Street Bridge, both major access bridges to Downtown Binghamton. The Exchange Street Bridge and the Washington Street Walking Bridge remain closed, but are expected to reopen on Wednesday.

Buses in the Binghamton area resumed limited service yesterday. Several schools, including BU and local K-12 schools, resumed classes yesterday.

MANY REMAIN DISPLACED

Several homes in Vestal were condemned due to damaged foundations and crumbling walls that have been deemed unsafe for habitation, according to a report in the Press & Sun Bulletin.

Other homes, including ones in Conklin and Vestal, are still under several feet of water. Several hundred Binghamton residents also remain displaced from their homes.

Ryan said he could not definitively say when evacuation orders would be lifted entirely. He noted that inspectors still need to check for safety hazards caused by flooded gas and electric utilities.

Several areas of New York, including the city of Binghamton, are still under an emergency water conservation order.

CLEAN-UP EFFORTS BEGIN

Many people returning to their homes face large clean-up projects. Damaged furniture and debris now scatters the yards of flooded areas.

The Department of Public Works has announced that it will not be collecting curbside waste this week because all of its efforts are currently being focused on the collection of flood debris citywide.

Community organizations such as the Southern Tier Family Life Church have gone door-to-door to assist residents with clean-up efforts such as hauling garbage and debris out of flooded houses, according to a report by Fox 40.

FUTURE RECOVERY

Philip Parr, a federal coordinator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said that homeowners could apply for financial assistance to help repair flood damage to their houses, but only after FEMA issues a Major Disaster Declaration.

Gov. Cuomo estimated that thousands of homes and hundreds of businesses were directly affected by the flood and predicted that the recovery of Binghamton could take weeks or even months. But Broome County Executive Patrick Brennan estimated the recovery could take years, according to a report in the Press & Sun-Bulletin.

— Reporting was contributed by The Associated Press.