Heavy Rains Prompt Flood Warnings, Cause Property Damage
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The rain came heavy and in a very short period of time Wednesday in parts of the Pittsburgh area, prompting flood warnings and causing some property damage.
More than two inches of rain fell in less than an hour. Basements were flooded, cars were stuck in rising water and fears were rekindled from the many floods of the past.
Rush hour traffic was halted due to rising waters in the flood-prone Route 8 corridor in Etna and Shaler Township on Wednesday night.
Heavy rain shut down parts of the road for hours, and a rockslide shut down part of Route 28 when a car was hit. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
However, it did raise the fears of floods past.
"The rain just kept coming. First, it was raining kind of sideways with the wind, and then it just kept coming straight down and t rained for a good half hour," said Bonnie Campbell of Sharpsburg.
Glen Avenue in Shaler flooded, and a ball field was washed away.
Watch the latest forecast below:
Erin Santiago took cell phone video as she watched cars get stuck in the water.
"The car was driving down the street and it got stuck," said Santiago of one of the vehicles. "I bet it freaked out the person driving."
The Little Pine Creek was handling all the water it could, but it didn't stop another flood at the Perman Funeral Home in Shaler.
It gets flooded almost every year. This time they were lucky because there was only about five inches of water in their basement. But it's more than frustrating.
"The first flood was May 1986. We had eight and a half feet of water," said Frank Perman, the owner. "[In] 2004, we got hit by Ivan. We had four and a half feet of water in here. Every time I hear from the DEP or the state or the local municipality, they say it's fixed and here's what we get."
Perman joined the "KDKA Morning News" with Larry Richert and John Shumway and talked about the flooding that impacted the area.
"Water was bubbling up through the drains in the garage where we have our furnaces and hot water heater," Perman said.
Perman added that during Ivan he had, "four-and-a-half feet of water, in the building." With this storm, they only had four or five inches.
He says the flooding wasn't devastating but more of an annoyance.
There were also reports of flooding in other parts of the North Hills, like on McKnight Road
Also, on Twitter, Allegheny County said Nelson Road in Ross Township had to be closed due to a rockslide.
On Thursday, KDKA Chief Meteorologist Jeff Verszyla says there could be a leftover shower early and then temperatures will turn cooler with lingering clouds.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on the weather conditions.
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