Matt Rourke Associated Press DARBY, Pa. – Torrential rains triggered flash flooding in parts of central and eastern Pennsylvania on Monday, closing down a heavily traveled interstate and sending water into homes in the mountainous coal regions. State highway and emergency management officials reported numerous closed roads in a wide swath of the state from Williamsport to the Philadelphia suburbs, and some motorists had to be rescued. Hazel Coles said water rose so quickly at her home in Darby, outside Philadelphia, that she had to evacuate through a window. She said there was about 3 feet of water on her street, and some people had to be evacuated by boat. She said the Red Cross was helping displaced residents. “It’s just crazy,” she said. “I thank God it wasn’t worse.” The National Weather Service in State College said there were numerous reports of 6 inches of rain or more in Schuylkill and Columbia counties. Meteorologist Aaron Tyburski said the latest downpours followed weeks of a stalled weather pattern that is drawing moisture from the Atlantic Ocean, hitting some communities repeatedly. “It’s been quite a rough go for them over the past three weeks,” Tyburski said. In the Benton area north of Bloomsburg, Fishing Creek spilled from its banks Monday, sending out a torrent of chocolate brown water. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency said a helicopter rescue was planned for people on the roofs of homes in that part of northern Columbia County, but weather needed to clear before the helicopter could take off early Monday afternoon. High water in Port Carbon caused some evacuations and prompted firefighters to launch rescue boats and rafts. Parts of Pottsville were inundated, and three shelters were set up. Schuylkill County emergency management director John Matz said water levels were starting to fall by early afternoon Monday and officials were making plans to assess the damage. He said the recent flooding could have caused more damage than the high water that hit the county a few weeks ago and affected several hundred structures. “The difference now is, once we hit the center part of the county, it’s a more populated area,” Matz said. In the Philadelphia area, the Schuylkill Expressway was closed in both directions at the busy King of Prussia Mall exit. The waters affected dozens of stores and a parking garage at the mall. Upper Darby and Montgomery County police reported numerous rescues of people trapped in cars by flooding. The National Weather Service office issued a flash flood warning and urged people not to drive through flooded roads. Gov. Tom Wolf activated the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center on Monday morning and the National Guard was notified to be ready to help, if needed. The forecast calls for storms to continue and cause flooding in the southcentral, north-central and eastern parts of the state through Wednesday.<doc-sep>An unusual and intense band of stationary rain slammed parts of the Susquehanna Valley on Friday causing severe flash flooding.The rainfall amounts varied drastically depending on location. In Harrisburg, amounts totaled around .3 inches. Just 13 miles away in Mount Joy, more than 10.5 inches of rain fell. "Some of the rainfall reports, just crazy," said WGAL Chief Meteorologist Joe Calhoun. Flooding caused major problems in Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin and York counties. Several major roads were closed at the height of the storm, including Route 283 near Route 772 and sections of Route 30 in York County. Many of those roads reopened after a few hours.In Lebanon County, floodwaters ravaged Airport Road in Fredericksburg, undermining it and buckling the asphalt (see below).Mount Joy, Lancaster County, was one of the hardest hit areas. The rain came down so fast that East Main Street turned into a river. You can watch video of that below.Also in Mount Joy, an Amtrak train headed eastbound got stuck in high water for several hours.Amtrak did issue a message earlier in the day that it was putting a temporary hold on trains traveling through the Mount Joy area. You can view a live map of Amtrak trains and see their progress here.In the Manheim-Mount Joy area, there were reports of numerous water rescues.- Water rescue caught on cameraAbout 9.41 inches of rain have fallen in Naumanstown, Lancaster County.In Shaefferstown, Lebanon County, about 8.91 inches of rain have fallen.In Swatara Township, Lebanon County, WGAL photographer Kyle Cooper, captured video of the Oil Creek overrunning its banks. The waters rushed into the garage of a home. The owner rushed to remove a motorcycle and a truck.Also in Lebanon County, more than 5 inches of rain have fallen in Myerstown and Jonestown.- Check conditions on WGAL's interactive traffic map hereSeveral high school football games scheduled for tonight have been postponed.Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement that state agencies are in contact with county emergency management officials to address any needs related to the flash flooding. "Thank you to the emergency responders for doing all that they can to help those affected by flooding and to keep people informed and safe," Wolf said. An unusual and intense band of stationary rain slammed parts of the Susquehanna Valley on Friday causing severe flash flooding. Advertisement The rainfall amounts varied drastically depending on location. In Harrisburg, amounts totaled around .3 inches. Just 13 miles away in Mount Joy, more than 10.5 inches of rain fell. "Some of the rainfall reports, just crazy," said WGAL Chief Meteorologist Joe Calhoun. Flooding caused major problems in Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin and York counties. Several major roads were closed at the height of the storm, including Route 283 near Route 772 and sections of Route 30 in York County. Many of those roads reopened after a few hours. u local Route 283 floods near PA 772 on Friday afternoon. In Lebanon County, floodwaters ravaged Airport Road in Fredericksburg, undermining it and buckling the asphalt (see below). Mount Joy, Lancaster County, was one of the hardest hit areas. Water covered this section of Auction Road in Mount Joy. The rain came down so fast that East Main Street turned into a river. You can watch video of that below. Also in Mount Joy, an Amtrak train headed eastbound got stuck in high water for several hours. u local A u local member shared this picture of the flooded train. Amtrak did issue a message earlier in the day that it was putting a temporary hold on trains traveling through the Mount Joy area. You can view a live map of Amtrak trains and see their progress here. There was flooding along Garfield Road in Mount Joy. In the Manheim-Mount Joy area, there were reports of numerous water rescues. - Water rescue caught on camera This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. A heavy rain cell has remained relatively stationary over the area between Manheim & Mount Joy. Report of 6 inches of rain. Currently 7 water rescue events for cars in high water & 1 home that residents were evacuated. County Emergency Management is monitoring. — Commissioner Josh Parsons (@CommissionerJP) August 31, 2018 This content is imported from Facebook. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. About 9.41 inches of rain have fallen in Naumanstown, Lancaster County. In Shaefferstown, Lebanon County, about 8.91 inches of rain have fallen. In Swatara Township, Lebanon County, WGAL photographer Kyle Cooper, captured video of the Oil Creek overrunning its banks. The waters rushed into the garage of a home. The owner rushed to remove a motorcycle and a truck. Also in Lebanon County, more than 5 inches of rain have fallen in Myerstown and Jonestown. Scott A. Brown This backyard along South Railroad Street in Myerstown was underwater. - Check conditions on WGAL's interactive traffic map here Several high school football games scheduled for tonight have been postponed. Kreutz Creek Road in York County was covered with water near Pleasant Valley Road. Gov. Tom Wolf said in a statement that state agencies are in contact with county emergency management officials to address any needs related to the flash flooding. "Thank you to the emergency responders for doing all that they can to help those affected by flooding and to keep people informed and safe," Wolf said.<doc-sep>MOUNT JOY, PA. — Gov. Tom Wolf says state emergency officials in Pennsylvania are working with local authorities to help them recover from flash floods that prompted water rescues and evacuations and prompted two counties to declare disaster emergencies.<doc-sep>At a Glance Flooding persisted across parts of the Northeast on Tuesday, and additional rain worsened the situation for some. A flash flood emergency was issued in upstate New York Tuesday morning. Multiple states of emergency were declared in response to the flooding across the region. Heavy rainfall caused new rounds of flooding in the Northeast Monday night and Tuesday morning, and in upstate New York, the situation worsened as numerous vehicles were swept into floodwaters. A flash flood emergency was declared Tuesday for parts of Seneca, Schuyler and Yates counties in New York and residents were urged to head to higher ground as flooding swelled rivers and trapped people in campers in the town of Lodi. Water rescues were ongoing Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service, as at least two campers and six vehicles were washed away. Gov. Andrew Cuomo surveyed the damage in Lodi and met with local leaders on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. He told reporters that about 50 people were trapped in their homes by the flooding in Lodi. Rick Jacot, highway superintendent for Lodi said Tuesday afternoon that most of those residents were able to return home and start cleaning up damage caused by the flooding. (MORE: Where Additional Flooding Is Likely This Week) The Ithica, New York, Fire Department rescued 13 people by boat and seven from land in Schuyler County after flash flooding cut off roads and bridges. Cuomo also declared a state of emergency for more than a dozen counties in upstate New York during his visit. In Hancock, New York, Town Supervisor Jerry Vernold issued a state of emergency after the heavy rain created the potential for the Bear Brook Road dam to fail. "For the safety and well being of the citizens of the town of Hancock, no unauthorized people should be near the dam site," Vernold wrote in a proclamation. "All persons who live in this area should be aware of the conditions around them." As of Monday afternoon, officials told WBNG-TV that the dam, located some 45 miles south of Binghamton, is not in imminent danger of failing, but some areas along the dam have been weakened by the heavy rain. A few homes and other buildings would be in danger of flooding if the dam failed, the report added. Flooding Swamps Towns on Monday Floodwaters continued Monday across parts of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, with states of emergency declared in several areas. Officials in Lehighton, Pennsylvania, believe all 145 rafters who were reported missing along the Lehigh River were located Monday night, the Morning Call reported. Water rescue crews were sent to the area after receiving a call that the rafters were unaccounted for, but it's believed all members of the group were fine and on a bus home, the report added. In northern Columbia County, several residents had to be rescued from their roofs by helicopter, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency said. (MORE: Firefighter Dies Battling Massive California Wildfire) Advertisement The police chief in Brick, New Jersey, declared a state of emergency and evacuated residents of a retirement community. Seven to 8 inches of rain fell on the Jersey shore town in a matter of hours. Monday afternoon, flooding continued in the area. In addition to Brick, Howell, Wall, Neptune and Lakewood townships were among the hardest-hit towns. Homes along the Metedeconk River in Howell Township were damaged by extensive flooding. In response to the flooding, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency Tuesday morning for five counties where the worst impacts were reported. In Pennsylvania, a flash flood emergency was declared for western Bradford County, where numerous residents had to be rescued from the town of Troy after widespread flooding was reported in the town of about 1,300. It was extended until 11:15 p.m. EDT Monday. Flooding persisted in Bradford County Tuesday morning, and additional water rescues were performed as residents were trapped in their homes. The National Weather Service in State College said there were numerous reports of 6 inches of rain or more in Schuylkill and Columbia counties. Just in time for the Monday afternoon rush hour, severe thunderstorms with torrential rain moved through the Washington D.C. and Baltimore metro areas. At least five roads were closed in the city of Baltimore because of flooding, and two water rescues were reported in Towson, Maryland, where motorists became trapped in high water. Vehicles were also stuck in floodwaters in other parts of Baltimore County as some roads became impassable. In the Philadelphia area, the Schuylkill Expressway was closed in both directions at the busy King of Prussia Mall exit. Sullivan County emergency management reported the village of Sonestown, Pennsylvania, was evacuated Monday morning due to widespread flooding. Water rescues were in progress in Watsontown, Pennsylvania, due to the flooded Tannery Run. Several water rescues were also reported Monday morning across parts of Montgomery County, according to the Emergency Operations Center. "With the weather pattern as it is, there could be some particularly bad flooding in parts of the watch area," tweeted the Mount Holly office of the NWS Monday morning. "Pay close attention to the weather today, especially if you live in a flood-prone location." In Philadelphia, bus and train service was delayed along several routes, NBC Philadephia reported. More than 100 flights were canceled Monday at Philadelphia International Airport, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. Near Philadelphia, Darby resident Hazel Coles said she had to escape rising floodwaters in her home by climbing out the window; some people had to be rescued by boat, she told the AP. Monday evening, a state of emergency was declared for the Darby Borough because of the flooding, NBC10 reported. "It's just crazy," Coles also told the AP. "I thank God it wasn't worse."<doc-sep>
At a Glance More than 10.5 inches of rain fell over nine hours in Mount Joy. Parts of State Highway 283 and U.S. Highway 30 were closed. A flash flood emergency was declared. Flash flooding caused road closures and stranded motorists in parts of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency says Lancaster and York counties issued disaster declarations after 5 to 10 inches of rain in parts of Lancaster, York and Lebanon counties, the Associated Press reports. A spokeswoman for PEMA said evacuations were reported in a number of counties, but no injuries were reported. Flooding closed State Highway 283 at the Mount Joy/Manheim exit about 3 p.m. Friday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. All lanes of U.S. Highway 30, westbound between Cool Springs Road and State Highway 24, was also closed because of the flooding. Motorists had to be rescued from their cars when flash flooding hit Lancaster County in Pennsylvania on Friday, August 31, 2018. More than 10 inches of rain fell over nine hours in Mount Joy, the National Weather Service said. (Rohrerstown Fire Company) Lancaster Online reported that a bus filled with students was trapped in the floodwaters along Route 230 but the students were eventually evacuated. The site also said a vehicle was washed off the road into Chiques Creek, but the driver was able to get out safely. The National Weather Service says rainfall totals of up to 3 inches per hour were causing the flooding. NWS said 10.57 inches of rain fell over nine hours in Mount Joy; most of that between 1 and 4 p.m. Almost 8 inches was reported at Schaefferstown over a four hour period. Naumanstown had 9.41 inches dumped on it over five hours. WPMT-TV reports that motorists on State Highway 283 said water was over the tires of some cars stranded on the highway. Multiple water rescues were ongoing. Flash flooding closed roads and stranded motorists in high water in several parts of Pennsylvania on Friday, August 31, 2018. This was the scene near McKinley Road and State Highway 230. (Rohrerstown Fire Company) Amtrak said the heavy rains in the Mount Joy area caused engine problems on Pennsylvania Train 42, and a replacement engine was on the way from Harrisburg. Soon after that, Amtrak tweeted, "Due to severe weather and heavy rain near Mount Joy, (MJY) on the Philadelphia Harrisburg Line, a hold is in effect for all trains traveling through the area." A weak stationary frontal boundary is interacting with a pocket of very rich moisture located over the mid-Atlantic, according to weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Belles. The moisture is being strung out over southeastern Pennsylvania in the form of very slow moving or even training thunderstorms running over the same location leading to sustained extreme rainfall rates. Heavy rains also led to flooding in Lebanon, Berks, and York counties. In Fredericksburg, according to the Lebanon Daily News, floodwaters washed out a bridge on Airport Road near Horizon Drive.