Flooding rains, strong winds result in major damage across area

Heavy rain and strong winds led to flooding, landslides and other damage throughout western Pennsylvania Thursday night and into Friday.

• PHOTOS: Flooding, building damage across area
• FLOOD WARNING: Flooding, damage reported across area as rain falls

Several roads in Allegheny County were closed Friday because of weather-related issues.

In Pittsburgh, a landslide along Route 65 closed northbound lanes just before the McKees Rocks Bridge Friday morning. The closure stretched from California Avenue up to the bridge.

Crews started working to clear the slide around midnight and it reopened around 5 p.m. Friday.

A road in Reserve Township collapsed during the heavy rain Thursday night.

Neighbors who live on and near Pittview Avenue told Channel 11 they've been dealing with this problem for years.

The township closed Pittview at Arlington earlier in this week when the hillside started to slide.

Officials told Channel 11 a house might be in jeopardy.

Township engineers were on site much of the day trying to figure out how to shore up the hillside.

Meanwhile, flooding concerns prompted closures of the 10th Street Bypass and Mon Wharf.

In Ross Township, part of the foundation of a home on Seventh Street gave way as rain saturated the area. A hole into the basement was left on the side of the home.

Heavy rain also led to roads flooding across Butler County.

The main street in Renfrew had water across the roads.

Roads were shut down because of it and water was all the way up to some houses, some of it seeping into the basements.

It was the same scenario in Harmony Township, where roads were closed and water was 3 or 4 feet deep in people's backyards near Connequenessing Creek.

FAYETTE COUNTY

Strong storms left behind a path of destruction in Uniontown, Fayette County, Thursday night.

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down, and the American Red Cross is opening a shelter at the East End Community Center on Cool Spring Street for people displaced.

Roofs were blown off homes, utility poles were brought down, trees were snapped and street signs were mangled. Power was also knocked out.

Chris Caldwell, a Uniontown resident, said he helped rescue a couple after the storms ripped through the area.

“The guy was bleeding from the face and he had one leg, and me and my brother here helped him out,” Caldwell said.

Damage in Connellsville was so bad that a state of emergency was declared. Mayor Greg Lincoln said the Dutch Bottom area flooded and evacuations were taking place.

Firefighters were going door to door Friday evacuating people who lived around Yough River Park.

CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL STORY

Washington County was hit hard by flooding, leaving several roads covered in water and causing damage to homes and businesses.

Cars became stuck Thursday night and Friday morning during the heaviest rain as county dispatchers fielded dozens of calls for flash flooding.

“I was just going down the hill and I guess the water is pretty deep there and I didn’t know that and my car just kind of stalled,” driver Katie Candy said.

Some roads also had to be closed.

Homeowners like Amanda Grimes in Charleroi had water coming into their homes. Grimes’ basement and garage flooded.

“It was literally like the raging rapids, like it’s Ohiopyle down here,” Grimes said.

Henderson Avenue also flooded, sending water into a gas station.

On Friday morning, water covered Pike Street in Houston and a car needed to be pushed out of the water.

Too much rain too fast also overloaded the storm sewers in the city of Washington, causing water to bubble up through manhole covers because it had nowhere to go.

The Washington fire chief told Channel 11 they know what to expect and how to deal with it.

In Westmoreland County, Loyalhanna Creek in Latrobe overflowed its banks and a number of homes on Newmyer Lane flooded. Water rescue crews were called in, but were not needed.

Cox Media Group