UPDATE: Flooding reaches Bloomsburg's west end

Last updated: August 14, 2018 - 11:36am


The Route 487 bridge near Benton. (Press Enterprise/Keith Haupt)

Check for Tuesday flood updates here.

Benton flooded earlier Monday, and now the Town of Bloomsburg is facing high water from Fishing Creek.

10:20 P.M. UPDATE

Benton Borough EMA requests that residents conserve water usage. The reservoir is having a hard time keeping up with the power not being at full capacity. The EMA is asking that no one use unnecessary water.

8:30 P.M. UPDATE

Here's the latest list of road closings from PennDOT.

• (New) Route 11 north between Cross Road in Montour Township and Washington Street in the Town of Bloomsburg and south between Oyer Avenue in the Town of Bloomsburg and Cross Road in Montour Township.

• Route 239 between Route 487 in Benton and Route 118 in Jackson Township.

• Route 487 between Zaners Bridge Road in Fishing Creek Township and Camp Lavigne Road in Sugarloaf Township.

• Winding Road between Asbury Road and Ridge Road in Fishing Creek Township.

• Zaners Bridge Road between Route 254 in Greenwood Township and the Luzerne County line in Fishing Creek Township.

• (Open) Lower Raven Creek Road between Route 487 in Stillwater Borough and Pied Piper Road in Benton

• Ridge Road/Quarry Road between Interchange Road in Hemlock Township and Route 11 in Montour Township.

• Back Branch Road between Millerton Road and Whites Church Road in Mt. Pleasant Township.

• Millville Road between Route 42 in Hemlock Township and Route 11 in the Town of Bloomsburg.

• Green Creek Road between Mount Pleasant Road and Rohrsburg Road in Orange Township.

• Rohrsburg Road between Route 487 and Neyhart Road in Orange Township.

• Central Road/Elk Grove Road between Route 118 and the Sullivan County line in Sugarloaf Township.

7:20 P.M. UPDATE

Photographer Jimmy May captured this drone footage of flooding in Benton earlier today, around 1 p.m. The video shows the area of Colley Street.

 

 

6 P.M. UPDATE
A word from Benton's Police Chief Fred Westover: Main Street in Benton is closed, and if you don't have business in the borough he's asking that you stay away for a few days. The borough doesn't need sightseers as it tries to clean up.

 

5:30 P.M. UPDATE

Here's the 5 p.m. update on road closures from PennDOT:

• Route 239 between Route 487 in Benton and Route 118 in Jackson Township.

• Route 487 between Zaners Bridge Road in Fishing Creek Township and Camp Lavigne Road in Sugarloaf Township.

• (Open) Cemetery Road between Freas Avenue in Berwick and Martzville Road in Briar Creek Township.

• (New) Winding Road between Asbury Road and Ridge Road in Fishing Creek Township.

• Zaners Bridge Road between Route 254 in Greenwood Township and the Luzerne County line in Fishing Creek Township.

• (Open) Asbury Road between Winding Road and Zaner Bridge Road in Fishing Creek Township.

• (New) Lower Raven Creek Road between Route 487 in Stillwater Borough and Pied Piper Road in Benton

• Ridge Road/Quarry Road between Interchange Road in Hemlock Township and Route 11 in Montour Township.

• Back Branch Road between Millerton Road and Whites Church Road in Mt. Pleasant Township.

• Millville Road between Route 42 in Hemlock Township and Route 11 in the Town of Bloomsburg.

• Green Creek Road between Mt. Pleasant Road and Rohrsburg Road in Orange Township.

• Rohrsburg Road between Route 487 and Neyhart Road in Orange Township.

• Central Road/Elk Grove Road between Route 118 and the Sullivan County line in Sugarloaf Township.

5 P.M. UPDATE

It's official, the town of Bloomsburg and EMA is asking residents of the town's West End to evacuate.

Residents of the West End of Bloomsburg are being notified to evacuate the West End of Bloomsburg. All residents west of Railroad Street should start to evacuate now.

There is a shelter open in Berwick at the Reliance Fire Company on 501 West 3rd Street in Berwick. Pets may a company you as long as they are in a crate.

If you have questions/concerns, please call 570-389-5741.

Please do NOT cross roadways that are covered by water. Please turn around, do not drown.

4:45 P.M. UPDATE

Police and firefighters have been dispatched to the town's west end, where Fishing Creek has begun to spill its banks onto Main Street.

Here are images sent from reporter Julye Wemple.

4:15 P.M. UPDATE

This view from photographer Keith Haupt shows how high the water had reached in Benton today. This is on Benton's Main Street.

3:30 P.M. UPDATE

Here's the latest update from PennDOT on road closings and reopenings:

• (New) Route 239 between Route 487 in Benton and Route 118 in Jackson Township.

• Route 487 between Zaners Bridge Road in Fishing Creek Township and Camp Lavigne Road in Sugarloaf Township.

• (Open) Hidlay Church Road between Fowlersville Road North Centre Township and Route 1003 (Low Street) in South Centre Township.

• Stony Brook Road between both intersections with Route 487 in Orange Township.

• (Open) Golf Course Road between Fowlersville Road in North Centre Township and Route 11 in South Centre Township.

• Cemetery Road between Freas Avenue in Berwick and Martzville Road in Briar Creek Township.

• Zaners Bridge Road between Route 254 in Greenwood Township and the Luzerne County line in Fishing Creek Township.

• Asbury Road between Winding Road and Zaner Bridge Road in Fishing Creek Township.

• Ridge Road/Quarry Road between Interchange Road in Hemlock Township and Route 11 in Montour Township.

• (New) Back Branch Road between Millertown Road and Whites Church Road in Mt. Pleasant Township.

• (New) Millville Road between Route 42 in Hemlock Township and Route 11 in the Town of Bloomsburg.

• (New) Green Creek Road between Mount Pleasant Road and Rohrsburg Road in Orange Township.

• Rohrsburg Road between Route 487 and Neyhart Road in Orange Township.

• Central Road/Elk Grove Road between Route 118 and the Sullivan County line in Sugarloaf Township.

1:45 P.M. UPDATE

Photographer Jimmy May relays these pictures, from Distillery Road near Benton.

1:25 P.M. UPDATE

PennDOT has the following list of road openings and closings.

Columbia

• (Open) Route 11 between Keefers Lane and Wolf Hollow Road in South Centre Township.

• Route 487 between Zaners Bridge Road in Fishing Creek Township and Camp Lavigne Road in Sugarloaf Township.

• Hidlay Church Road between Fowlersville Road North Centre Township and Low Street in South Centre Township.

• Stony Brook Road between both intersections with Route 487 in Orange Township.

• Golf Course Road between Fowlersville Road in North Centre Township and Route 11 in South Centre Township.

• Cemetery Road between Freas Avenue in Berwick and Martzville Road in Briar Creek Township.

• (New) Zaners Bridge Road between Route 254 in Greenwood Township and the Luzerne County line in Fishing Creek Township.

• Asbury Road between Winding Road and Zaner Bridge Road in Fishing Creek Township.

• Ridge Road/Quarry Road between Interchange Road in Hemlock Township and Route 11 in Montour Township.

• Rohrsburg Road between Route 487 and Neyhart Road in Orange Township.

• Central Road/Elk Grove Road between Route 118 and the Sullivan County line in Sugarloaf Township.

1:19 UPDATE

Bloomsburg Police have issued the following warning to west end residents:

The Bloomsburg Police Department is providing notification to all residents who live in the “West End” of Bloomsburg of the potential for Fishing Creek to flood. Fishing Creek can be unpredictable under the heavy rain conditions we have experienced over the last several days.

All residents west of Railroad St. should be preparing to evacuate with short notice. Have personal items ready to go with the possibility of being away for up to 72 hours. Move valuables to a second story if possible. Residents should consider leaving now to reduce the possibility be caught unaware.

If flooding becomes imminent the Bloomsburg Police Department will sound the flood warning system. If you hear the Flood warning siren this means it’s time to evacuate immediately.

In the past,  flooding of Fishing Creek has occurred rapidly and there is little time evacuate.

 

10 A.M. UPDATE

Flash flooding closed the following roads in Columbia County this morning:
• Route 11 between Keefers Lane and Wolf Hollow Road in South Centre Township.
• Hidlay Church Road between Fowlersville Road and Ridge Road in North Centre Township.
• Route 339 at Mainville and Mountain Pink Road.
• Zaners Bridge Lane near Stillwater.
• Route 487 south of Orangeville.

In Montour County:
• Bloom Road at Woodbine Road and Schoolhouse Road.

8 A.M. UPDATE

Heavy rains early Monday morning caused streams to overflow their banks, flooding several roadways.

The Susquehanna, however, was predicted to crest at 8 feet Wednesday, well below its flood stage of 19 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning until 10 a.m.

As of 7:11 a.m., the following roads were closed, according to county dispatchers.

In Columbia County:

• Route 11 from Wolfies to Keefer's Lane

• Route 11 from Tenny Street to the South Centre Township

• Mainville Road at Main-Mifflin Road and at Mountain Pink Road.

• Possibly Route 487 at Charmund Road - no emergency responders had yet arrived on scene.

• Elk Grove Road near the Brass Pelican

Montour County

• Woodline Lane at Bloom Road

• Woodline Lane at Schoolhouse Road

For all breaking news alerts and updates, follow us on Twitter.


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