Flash flooding recovery efforts underway: ‘We’ll make it’
United Community Church of God in Ursina has become the command center for recovery operations from Tuesday’s storm and flash flooding. Hundreds of five-gallon buckets full of clean up supplies and other materials have been delivered to the church, which has mustered a few dozen volunteers to help those whose homes were damaged by the…
United Community Church of God in Ursina has become the command center for recovery operations from Tuesday’s storm and flash flooding.
Hundreds of five-gallon buckets full of clean up supplies and other materials have been delivered to the church, which has mustered a few dozen volunteers to help those whose homes were damaged by the sudden downpour. Blankets, books and refreshments were also available Thursday at the church hall.
Paula Monosky, 51, delayed leaving for a camping vacation Thursday to help families affected by the flooding.
“These people need help more than I need a vacation,” said Monosky, who lives in Connellsville.
“There’s just a lot of damage now,” said Clair Saylor, 81, who lives in New Lexington. “There are mobile homes that won’t be able to be used.”
An assessment of the storm’s residential damage was underway early Thursday, Saylor said. It wasn’t clear how many homes were uninhabitable.
Between 3 and 5 inches of rain slammed the valley overnight Monday, causing floodwaters to wash out roads and culverts and knock down trees, according to the National Weather Service. Confluence Fire Chief Tyler Byrd estimated the town got slammed with 6 inches of rain over 6.5 hours Monday and Tuesday.
The Confluence Community Arts Center on Williams Street set up a Go Fund Me site for tax deductible donations after sustaining extensive basement flooding damage. By 11 a.m. Thursday, the center had raised $2,825 of its $3,500 goal.
The flood recovery buckets were delivered to United Community Church of God from Lutheran churches as far away as Harrisburg and New Jersey. Hundreds of blankets, books and other materials were also available for pickup.
Saylor worried that the losses may not be covered by homeowner’s insurance.
“Very few people had flood insurance,” said Saylor, who was among the volunteers to help with cleanup efforts after the devastating Johnstown flood of 1977 in Cambria County.
The 27-mile section of the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail through Ohiopyle State Park was closed Thursday to allow debris and rockslides to be cleared from the trail. Here’s where to watch for trail updates.
Darl and Barbara Ream’s garage and lower living room filled with mud after a culvert on Jersey Hollow Road overflowed onto the street after becoming clogged. It was only the third time it’d happened in the 50 years they lived at the home.
“It’s just muck and mud,” said Barbara Ream, 73.
“Hey, things happen,” husband Darl, 74 added. Others have it worse.
Back at the Ursina church preparing flood relief supplies for distribution, Saylor was optimistic about recovery.
“We’ll make it,” he said confidently. “That’s the big thing.”
