Woman's body found after floodwaters wreak havoc in western Pennsylvania
BETHEL PARK, Pa. -- Residents and business owners began cleaning up Thursday in the wake of a storm that dumped nearly four inches of rain on parts of western Pennsylvania, killing at least one and prompting scores of evacuations. Powerful floodwaters carried off cars and damaged buildings.
The floodwaters also swept a woman away Wednesday, and police said her body was found in McLaughlin Run near the Bridgeville Fire Department, about 13 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, according to the Observer-Reporter. Her name wasn't immediately released.
Video posted on social media showed cars floating down flooded streets, while swift-water rescue teams in Allegheny County took part in at least 66 rescues. Emergency crews in Westmoreland County rescued residents from about 30 houses, including a couple from their roof.
Diners at the Trolley Stop Inn in hard-hit Bethel Park, about 10 miles south of Pittsburgh, stood on tables as they awaited rescue.
"All of a sudden, water started coming in the one door and they tried to squeegee it," patron Shirley Maurin told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "And then it just rushed in."
She said the water rose quickly, forcing diners on top of tables "until they were able to come in and take us out one by one in the water with the life jackets."
A day later, volunteers helped clear debris from the Trolley Stop, whose owner said he didn't have flood insurance. Outside the building, a car's back end balanced precariously atop a chair.
The floodwaters damaged an unknown number of homes and businesses, smashing windows and leaving a muddy mess. The flooding also disrupted rail service in the region and forced the cancellation of the Pittsburgh Pirates game amid flooding in portions of PNC Park.
A state of emergency was declared in Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair.
The Bethel Park Police Department was urging drivers to seek shelter in higher elevations and stay off the roadways, CBS Pittsburgh reported. In Upper St. Clair, heavy flooding damaged an Outback Steakhouse. The inside of the restaurant was covered in mud and debris, and windows were smashed. The high-water mark was above the front door. It appeared that at least one vehicle was pushed into the building.
