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Prayers needed for the Pittsburgh area

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:11 pm
by Pburgh
:cry: Well I just got home from work. I left work at 4:00 and it was the most frightening ride of my life. When I left work manhole covers wereblowing and water fountains were appearing all over the roadways. When I got to the Turnpike landslides were falling in front and back of my car. I've just heard on the news that the area of the road which I just drove thru has been closed.

Roads are closed due to flooding all over the area. A small town just South of me has manditory evacuation due to flooding. We also have a high wind warning out now. A state of emergency has been issued in Allegheny County, Butler County and many others in this area.

This is really bad.

Prayers needed for this area.
Thanks
Karan

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:30 pm
by coriolis
It IS bad Karan. We're just on the eastern fringes of this mess, and we have flood warnings. The cold front is approaching to clear things out!

Stay safe and stay dry!

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:41 pm
by yoda
Stay Safe!!! Prayers out to you and people in your area!

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:41 pm
by Miss Mary
Praying big time Karan and Ed.

I hope this passes soon and flooding subsides. And I hope you're both home now, safe and dry.

Mary

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:06 pm
by coriolis
So far, so good.

Here's a link to real-time stream gauge information.
It's a big file, but there's links to stream gauges all over. I found one that's about 2 miles from me.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/current/?type=flow

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:31 pm
by azsnowman
KARAN! Take care of yourself PLEASE...and PLEASE, "CALL ME", better yet, I'LL CALL YOU!

Dennis

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 8:53 pm
by Stephanie
Prayers are coming from NJ!

It's a breezy, humid night. We've only had a few showers from Ivan. I think we're too far east.

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 7:16 am
by Miss Mary
Karan and Ed - please check in today! I saw segments on TWC with severe flooding in the Pittsburgh area this morning. Severe is an understatement.

Stephanie, we're too far west also, all we got here in Cincinnati was rain, not torrents, from Ivan.

And now it truly feels like Fall has started, low last night was 50. Feels great.

But please check in K/E - I'm worried about you guys.....

Mary

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 9:57 am
by therock1811
Actually, it did come down in torrents here in Florence and as well where I was at school in Highland Heights...but no flooding in Cincinnati...and right now the only flood problem we may have is the floating restaurants down in Covington and Newport...some of them will be inaccessible at about 46'. We are expecting to crest tomorrow night or early Monday at 47.5'.

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:15 am
by coriolis
The rain has stopped. We got anywhere from 3 to 5 inches depending on the location. The small stream behind our house flooded out of it's banks and came within inches of elevation of entering our garage. I was up all night moving things upstairs. The police came at 3:00 am to evacuate us. We went to our daughters house, but with closed roads, we drove 20 miles to go 4 miles. We came back around 8:00 this mornig. Our basement did get about 16" of water in it and our dehumidifier is kaput. Furnace is elevated and is ok. Everything else ok. The stream is receeding, but the big river just downstream is still rising. Our stream could get backed up from that and it would be Round 2. Ding Ding

Karan? Karan?

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 11:23 am
by Stephanie
I saw the reports on the news last night. I hope that the river doesn't cause you any further problems Ed.

Karan????? :eek:

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 1:49 pm
by Pburgh
Ed, I'm so sorry about your home. ((Hugs)) to you my friend. I wish I could help you with the cleanup.

The Ohio and Monongahela rivers still have not crested. Many roads in downtown Pittsburgh on the Monongahela are closed due to flooding. Major flooding about 5 miles south of me but the waters are now receding there. The water barrel where I collect rain water for my gardens measured 8" this morning.

Your prayers have worked. We had no loss of life and the sun is out today. Temps in the 70's.

Thanks everyone Keep those prayers coming as the Ohio is still rising.

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 1:53 pm
by Stephanie
It's great to hear from you!! I'm glad that the rain stopped - we're getting rain from Ivan now.

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 3:18 pm
by Miss Mary
Whew, thanks for updating us Karan and Ed. Ed, I'm sorry too you had water in the basement. Our sump pump has gone out 3 or more times in 15 years (we're on our 4th) and our check valve failed once. We live next to the lowest lot on our street although to look at it from the street, you'd think I have a level lot. The one next door used to hold a pond in the back yard so we suspect there are underground streams that flow that direction naturally. Hence, why our sump pumps last 3-5 years, they're overworked! We just finished half our basement and put in a backup, that's battery operated. Next year we're putting in another exit, that would only be used if the exit piping in the back yard clogs up. We're trying to think of everything here. If it had been up to me I'd have said skip the basement, but I was out numbered 3 to 1. I do think we've done all we can to keep it dry right now (except that emerg exit). But I worry. If we had experienced that flooding you all received I would have been a nervous wreck (we have a new pool table and big screen TV down there!). Well, I'm rambling.....I sympathize with the water logged basement. At least now we have an alarm in the backup, so we'll know when the main one is going out.

Mary

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 3:22 pm
by therock1811
Right now the Ohio at Cincinnati is at 37.75'...forecast crest now 52.7' at 2pm Wednesday...flood stage is 52'. So we will see flooding but compared to there, it'll be minor.

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 4:08 pm
by Lindaloo
You have my prayers Karan and Ed!! Stay safe!

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 6:26 pm
by therock1811
Thoughts going out to you guys from your SW as well.

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 7:24 pm
by nystate
I just got off te phone with some relatives I have in Bloomsburg, PA. The Susquehanna (sp?) is forecast to crest at 28 feet, which would put their basement and first floor of their house underwater. They just bought new furniture for the house and are trying to get the light things moved up to the second floor, but the police came by and are forcing them to evacuate by 10 PM.

Needless to say, my prayers are going out to them and everyone else in the path of floodwaters in PA! You all stay safe. :wink:

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 8:26 pm
by Pburgh
The Ohio River has crested at 31.5' at the Point in downtown Pittsburgh. Flood stage is 25'. I talked to my Mom in Weirton, WV which is about 30 miles west of Pittsburgh on the Ohio. They are having flooding there and all along the Ohio River.

nystate, my prayers are going out to your family and all of those affected by Ivan.

In this area we never have been impacted to this extend my the wrath of a hurricane. Although I have always kept the hurricane victims in my prayers, I certainly have a new respect for their bravery and a determined passion to help out in any way that I can.

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 12:48 am
by TazzyD
I am also praying. I don't think there can ever be too many prayers. May all stay safe.