Aug 4, 2003 By Josh Krysak 3 min read

GRINDSTONE – Amy Kudyba watches her basement closely every time it rains. On Sunday afternoon, she watched floodwater rise as high as her washer and dryer before it crested. It is a scene that repeats all too often for the Grindstone resident. “This was worse than any this year,” Kudyba said. “Last March, water poured out the basement windows.”

Kudbya was not the only area resident hit hard by the late summer downpours.

Heavy rains pounded the district Sunday causing flash flooding, landslides and downed power lines. According to Fayette County 911, Jefferson Township was hit hardest with damage throughout the village of Grindstone.

“It was just too much rain,” Grindstone Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief Rich Lenk said. “We had one rain burst and then another within 20 minutes.”

Lenk said about eight homes along East Second Street sustained flood damage from the rain. Lenk added that the grade of the land played a major part in the flooding, as water ran down the hill parallel with New Hill Road and then flooded the basements along Second Street where the ground becomes level.

At 6 p.m., he said firefighters had been working to pump the flood water from the homes for more than three hours and noted that rain-washed driveways and landslides along new Hill Road and Route 166 had yet to be cleared.

As firefighters drained Kudyba’s home, the nurse sat on her front porch, watched the water pooling along the sidewalk and assessed the damage.

“I will probably need a new washer, dryer and furnace,” she said. “This happens every time it rains.” She said that she has already replaced her washer and dryer and doubts this will be the last time. “This is awful and they really need to do something about it,” Kudyba said.

Along Route 166, firefighters directed traffic around a landslide at a property along Colonial Avenue as a crew from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation worked to clear the debris. Firefighters slowed down motorists along New Hill Road because of gravel washed into the roadway from many driveways.

While Lenk said the rainstorms only lasted about an hour, his rain gauge at his Grindstone home had about 4 inches of water in it.

“There was just so much water in a short period of time,” he said.

According to the National Weather Service, Fayette County received between 1 and 2 inches of rain Sunday, adding to what already has been a wet summer. A spokesperson for the service said that after a break tonight, thunderstorms are forecast for the district for the next four days.

Lenk said fire departments from Fayette City, South Brownsville, Perryopolis and Smock assisted the Grindstone Volunteer Fire Department.