Rains cause flooding in Fayette
Road damaged in Henry Clay Township
Heavy rains Monday led to flooding issues in parts of Fayette County while the region remained under a flood advisory.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch Tuesday for counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio and West Virginia through 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.
Most of the damage from Monday night’s rain occurred in Henry Clay Township, in the southeast corner of the county, said Richard Black of the county’s Emergency Management Agency.
“It sounds like they had some local bridges that have washed out, and some access limited to some of the homes up there, but they’re working through it,” he said.
There had been significant flooding on Mae West Road (Route 281) and Ram Cat Road heading into Somerset County, Black said. That county had reported even more severe flooding, with multiple water rescues needed.
In Henry Clay Township, flood damage left Route 281 restricted to a single lane of traffic Tuesday afternoon between Flanigan and Sugarloaf roads. Workers from the state Department of Transportation, who were placing reflectors on a roadblock, said a pipe failure had caused a vortex beneath the road that led to the collapse of part of the roadway.
They said estimates called for the lane to be restored in two weeks to a month after the pipe was replaced.
Greene County Emergency Management Agency said no major issues had been reported as of Tuesday morning.
As the rainfall from southeastern Fayette and Somerset headed up the Youghiogheny River, areas downstream were preparing for flooding.
In a Facebook post Tuesday morning, Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln said the river had reached a flood stage of almost 12 feet, with some flooding seen at Yough Park.
Black said based on radar, there appeared to be a minimal chance of additional rainfall Tuesday. He said the department had been in communication with Connellsville’s fire chief.
“They’re watching it, they’re prepared,” he said. “…It’s just a matter of keeping everybody safely distant from the water and letting nature do its thing.”