Historical documents swept away in catastrophic Long Island library flooding

Books, historical documents and furniture were swept away by flood waters early on Aug. 19 after a record-breaking storm inundated The Smithtown Library on New York state’s Long Island.

Surveillance cameras caught the moment gushing water broke through a wall and poured into the lower level of the building.

Thousands of books were destroyed, along with computers and furniture. Books were seen floating in up to three metres of water.

The facility is also home to the Richard H. Handley Collection of Long Island Americana, a special archive of local history which contains invaluable historical documents, including papers signed by U.S. founding father Thomas Jefferson.

Specialists from Detroit were called to help salvage the library’s artifacts through a freezing and restoration processes. Full restorations, however, could take years.

Local media reported that the flood caused an estimated US$10 million in damage. The library building is closed until further notice.

With files from Reuters