Record rainfall brings flooding, landslides around the Valley

MVI staff reports
Several residents were rescued and roads were closed as flooding spread through the Mon Valley Wednesday,
As more rain fell Wednesday morning, creek and river levels around the area continued to rise making flooding an ongoing issue.
Numerous roadways throughout the area were closed due to rising waters and landslides.
Here’s a look at Mon Valley communities impacted by the storms by county:
Allegheny County
Fifth Avenue near the intersection of Lincoln Way in McKeesport appeared more like a stream as water rushed along the roadway. KDKA-TV showed video of a discarded television set floating down Fifth Avenue in McKeesport’s East End.
Crews also blocked off access to the Mansfield Bridge in McKeesport, an area that frequently floods during heavy rain events.
A landslide caused by excessive rain prompted city officials to close the 600 block Arlington Avenue Wednesday afternoon. Affected residents were asked to park in the rear alley near their homes as the city awaited an engineer’s review.
“It seems like we get these 100-year about every other year if not every year nowadays. I’ve been around for a long time, and I saw flooding in areas of the city that we never had flooding before,” Mayor Michael Cherepko said. “So our crews spent most of the night out, if not all of the night. We’re handling as efficiently as we can. If you have any complaints, please don’t hesitate to let us know.”
River Road between McKeesport’s lower 10th Ward and Port Vue was also closed Wednesday afternoon due to flooding and a landslide, the McKeesport Fire Department reported.
PennDOT reported Route 837 was closed between the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge and Dravosburg due to flooding.
White Oak police said Long Run Road at south Route 48 was temporarily closed in both directions from Cool Springs Road to Lou Washowich Way. White Oak police reported that Lincoln Way had reopened at noon Wednesday, but that part of Route 48 remained closed while crews removed debris from the road.
According to Allegheny County emergency management officials, volunteer firefighters were responding to numerous flooding calls, including streets and basements, in Coulter, Dravosburg, Glassport, Elizabeth Township, Forward Township and other low-lying communities.
Part of the Buena Vista parklet and boat launch in Elizabeth Township, near the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail, was also flooded on Wednesday.
In Pittsburgh, the 10th Street Bypass is closed between the Parkway North and Fort Duquesne Bridge, and the “bathtub” section of the Parkway East was shut down around 10 a.m. The Mon Parking Wharf also is closed.
First responders fanned out around the region Wednesday for water rescues from homes and vehicles when motorists became trapped after driving into standing water.
Washington County
In hard-hit Union Township, several homes on Little Mingo Road were flooded as Mingo Creek spilled its banks, prompting water rescue teams and firefighters from Elrama, Union Township, Donora, Elizabeth Borough, Jefferson Hills and Collinsburg to help rescue trapped residents.
Always prone to flooding, Pigeon Creek spilled over its banks Wednesday morning, flooding state Route 481 in Monongahela and Carroll Township. Route 481 from Coyle Curtin Road to Taylor Run Road was closed, as well as the Park Avenue area in Monongahela.
The heavy rains also caused a boulder to come down onto Route 88 between Monongahela and Finleyville.
Pigeon Creek flooded its banks in Bentleyville, as well, prompting Mayor Tim Jansante to issue a state of emergency. He urged residents to be careful driving because several roads in the area are not passable. Playground equipment and a pavilion at Richardson Park, which borders Pigeon Creek, were submerged in water Wednesday afternoon.
The borough said the fire department has been working around the clock to address flooding.
Flooding was also reported in the Monongahela River community of Roscoe, where a section of Route 88 was closed temporarily between Howard and Cowen streets. In neighboring Elco, a landslide shut down a section of High Street.
Charleroi firefighters reported Wednesday they responded to numerous calls for flooding issues.
Charleroi fire department Chief Robert Whiten Jr. said they were on the road by 8 a.m. help residents pump out their basements.
The department responded as mutual aid to Bentleyville to help pump various areas of the borough and also lent its boat to the department incase a water rescue was needed.
Whiten said they helped one homeowner on that road pump out their basement before being called to Young Lane in Twilight borough were three residents reported flooding.
The old Maple Creek Beer distributor is also flooded, Whiten said.

To read the rest of the story and see more photos from Wednesday’s flooding, please see a copy of Thursday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.