Thursday, June 18, 2009

More Flooding Possible Tomorrow

The Pittsburgh area could see more flooding tomorrow. Michael Huss, the city's Director of Public Safety, says emergency responders are monitoring forecasts for additional heavy rain. Huss says his best advice is not to drive through standing water. Flash flooding last night trapped 29 people in their cars. Fourteen of them were rescued by emergency workers. Huss says damage was worst in the North Side and East End.

Washington Boulevard is still closed between Allegheny River Boulevard to Frankstown Avenue and is expected to remain closed through this evening's rush hour.

Two churches, one in the South Side and another in Homewood, were damaged by fire last night.

Several vehicles were towed. Vehicles towed from the city can be recovered at the McGann and Chester tow pound at 200 Hargrove Street near the southern end of the Liberty Tunnels. You can call 412-381-9400 to confirm whether your vehicle is there.

The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority has hired contractors to help clean debris from catch basins today. But Executive Director Michael Kenney says a storm of yesterday's magnitude is too much for the current system to handle. He says the current system is designed for a ten-year storm, or about four inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period. The city had almost that much in just a few hours last night. The massive sewer renovations underway in the region are designing a system that can withstand a 25-year storm, which Kenney says is about 5.8 inches of rain in 24 hours.

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