Flooding is widespread in Westmoreland County on Wednesday, leading to road closures, flooded basements, the rescuing of some people, and the stranding of others.
Over the past three days, heavy rain totaling 3 to 5 inches in the area has caused streams and rivers to overflow their banks.
The villages of Lowber along Sewickley Creek and Gratztown along the Youghiogheny River, and its 168-square-mile watershed, are among the areas most severely affected.
In Lowber, firefighters had to save an elderly woman from her home in Gratztown, according to Lowber Fire Chief John Van Dyke.
Van Dyke mentioned that they began experiencing the effects around 6 a.m.
Van Dyke described the situation as severe, stating that the flooding escalated rapidly in the morning.
Van Dyke explained that while Sewickley Creek typically floods alongside the Youghiogheny River, in this instance, it started flooding before the Youghiogheny River did.
Flooding in Latrobe
In Latrobe, firefighters utilized a rescue boat on Wednesday to evacuate five individuals and four dogs from a home near the Loyalhanna Creek.
Emergency responders arrived at the modular home in the 200 block of Avenue A around 1 p.m. to find the water reaching waist deep near the creek, as per fire Chief John Brasile.
Brasile mentioned that the flood water had risen to the top step of the porch, with the priority being the evacuation of an elderly handicapped man.
The firefighters also managed to relocate the residents' truck to higher ground, and the family is receiving assistance from their relatives.
By mid-afternoon, Latrobe firefighters had responded to approximately eight other weather-related calls, primarily concerning flooding in basements.
Brasile expressed his wish for the rain to ease, considering that the number of calls was relatively low given the heavy rainfall.
Damage from Sewickley Creek
The rear of Deb Aaron’s home on Lowber Road was affected by flooding from Sewickley Creek, with water also making its way around the sides on Wednesday afternoon.
Apart from the creek, Aaron's property is also dealing with water from nearby abandoned mine drainage treatment ponds, further contributing to the rushing waters heading towards the Yough River.
Matt Aaron, who was in the basement in the morning, mentioned that they had moved out everything they could before the water reached the third step in the basement, causing about an inch of water to seep in.
Residents in Lowber, including Matt Aaron, are expressing their concern, with many recalling the similar severity of flooding experienced in 2018 and hoping it does not reach the same level.
The flooding resulted in David Shotts' refrigerator toppling over in the basement of his home on Lowber Road, marking the worst flooding he has encountered during his five years of residence there.
Residents along Lowber Road are sharing updates about the river's condition, particularly when it is expected to crest and at what level, with 24 feet being tolerable and over 26 feet being worse.
Joe Gracan is facing his second significant flood since residing in his house on Lowber Road.
Expressing frustration, Gracan, who is dealing with water seeping through the basement door, mentioned being too old for such challenges and using two pumps to expel the water faster.
Paul Hermann, who has been living in his home on Lowber Road for 35 years, said he received a call at 5 a.m. informing him that the neighborhood, which is less than a mile away from the Youghiogheny River, was being flooded by the creek.
“This flood came up pretty quickly,” Hermann said, recalling that the flood in 2018 caused two feet of water to cover Lowber Road.
According to Jared Rackley, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, the Pittsburgh region received 4.26 inches of rain from Sunday to Tuesday, setting a record for April's three-day rainfall.
Alicia Miller, a hydrologist with the weather service, stated that the good news for those who were affected by the floods is that the National Weather Service predicts reduced rainfall in the next few days. It's not expected to exceed an additional inch.
Despite having water in the basement and the upcoming cleanup, Hermann has no intentions of relocating.
“This is a pleasant neighborhood … in the summer.”
