Flood watch in effect in three-county area
Heavy rains Saturday and Sunday led to sinkholes and multiple road closures in Washington County, while flood warnings remained in effect for the three-county area into Sunday night.
The National Weather Service instituted a flood watch for large portions of southwestern Pennsylvania, including Fayette, Greene and Washington counties, until 8 p.m. Sunday.
A flash flood warning was also in effect in northwestern Fayette County and southeastern Washington County until 5:15 p.m. Sunday. Shortly before 2:45 p.m., between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain had fallen in those areas, with the potential for another 1 to 2 inches, the NWS said.
South Strabane Township was hard-hit by Saturday night’s storm, with the downpour causing a giant sinkhole to form in Oak Spring Plaza and resulting in significant damage to the fire department. Additionally, said fire chief Jordan Cramer, there was an active gas leak from a 3-inch gas line inside that also served other areas.
Fire chief Jordan Cramer said firefighters responded to multiple calls for submerged vehicles and flooded homes due to the volume of rain. Their systems had been overrun, with flash flooding in several areas throughout the township, Cramer said.
“The force of the water was just unbelievable,” Cramer said. “We received simultaneous calls for an electrical fire, for multiple vehicles where people were trapped in cars with water rising and people in homes with water rising. A lot of things were happening that required a lot of hands on deck.”
He said the fire department responded to calls starting at about 6:30 p.m., when the first round of rain fell, and again at 9 p.m., when torrential rains moved through.
There were no injuries reported.
Cramer said Eat ‘N Park in Oak Spring Plaza was temporarily closed, and access to the plaza is blocked. It could take a week for crews to repair the sinkhole. The hole initially was 15 feet wide and about 15 feet deep.
Cramer also encouraged residents who need immediate assistance due to standing water in their basements to call 911 and request the fire department.
Some of the heaviest flooding occurred along Manifold Road, East Beau Street, Quarry Road, Locust Avenue, Country Club Road and Lakeview Drive.
For those who don’t need immediate assistance but would like the fire department to assess their home to see if firefighters can assist, please call the non-emergency number at 724-222-3885. Information on damage will be sent to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and the township could qualify for federal assistance. Cramer said there was extensive damage to the first floor of the fire station and the infrastructure behind the fire station, and repairs “are going to require significant funding. We got hit really hard.”
The heavy rains also caused another sinkhole at the parking lot at Pure Hockey in North Strabane Township on Washington Road, said Washington County 911 shift supervisor Deanne Montgomery.
With only small changes in the overall weather pattern, the NWS forecast more rain throughout the week and a marginal risk of flooding continuing through Saturday.
Aside from the standard assortment of flooded basements and downed trees, Montgomery said, there were no new major incidents Sunday. Many roadways had flooded on Saturday night due to storm drain backups, but they had all reopened by Sunday morning. The only new closures as of Sunday afternoon were on Jolly School Road and Mounts Valley Road, Montgomery said.
In Greene County, there had been no flood damage reported as of about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, said Emergency Management Director Rich Policz.
“The biggest thing is we’re keeping contact with our neighbors in West Virginia on the borders, they’re having some severe issues,” he said. “Right now, in Greene, we’ve been pretty blessed and not as much rainfall as anticipated.”
Staff writer Karen Mansfield contributed to this report.