ORVISTON — About a week after severe weather caused massive flooding in the region, the Curtin Township community of Orviston is still rebuilding.
Additionally, communities in Howard and Liberty townships were also severely affected after rain gauges registered nearly four inches of rain in a span of a few hours. The region experienced a wide range of severe weather conditions stemming from supercell storms that began in the evening hours of Sept. 2 and lasted intermittently through the next day.
Curtin Township Secretary/Treasurer Lynette Harter said the township’s road crews are still working to repair roadways and other areas that were washed out after nearby Marsh Creek flooded from massive storm runoff.
“I don’t think anyone was expecting this kind of a situation of this magnitude,” Harter said in a telephone interview with The Centre County Gazette. Harter’s husband, Jeff, is a working Curtin Township Supervisor and roadmaster. She said her husband received a telephone call late on Sept. 2 to see if he could help save a woman from the roof of Romola Bible Church on Marsh Creek Road.
By the time Jeff Harter responded, the woman had already been rescued, Lynette Harter said.
Numerous rescue units were initially dispatched to the areas of Orviston, Howard, and Beech Creek in nearby Clinton County after reports came in regarding stranded motorists, outdoor enthusiasts trapped in campers, flooded basements and numerous closed roadways. Many roadways were impassable from water with some residents trapped in their homes.
Described as a “one in 200 years flooding event,” emergency responders with water rescue units from Centre, Clearfield, Elk, Blair, Huntingdon and Mifflin counties were initially dispatched to the scene.
Initial reports stated that some people in campers at Bald Eagle State Park near Howard Borough were rescued, but that information was incorrect. Emergency responders rescued six people from campers at Liberty Sportsman’s Club, 1140 Marsh Creek Road, Howard.
While no campers at Bald Eagle State Park were affected, water levels at Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir — which was constructed to be a flood control lake — were described as “slightly elevated,” according to the park’s a social media post.
The park, boat launches, and all campsites were still open and able to be used after the storm, but the swimming beach was closed for swimming. The park was expected to experience a high-water event for several days following the storm and additional forecasted rain.
The storms resulted in two-hour delays for students at State College Area School District and Bald Eagle Area School District on Sept. 3. Bellefonte Area School District closed its doors for the entire day.
In the State College area, Fox Hollow Road was closed from Toftrees Avenue to the I -99 overpass due to flooding.
The state Dept. of Transportation also closed state Route 1002/Marsh Creek Road between Howard Divide and Bald Eagle Valley Road because of the flooding.
Cleanup
Lynette Harter said Curtin Township crews are still working to clean up the Orviston area. The main street in town suffered a 6-foot washout and was the first to be repaired so that other maintenance crews could access other areas.
“We had no power for three days, and crews from West Penn couldn’t access the electrical damage until that road was opened,” Lynette Harter explained. “West Penn was awesome, getting electricity restored as soon as possible.”
Crews are still working on other roadways in the area. Damage estimates were not yet available.
Centre County Commissioners on Sept. 3 declared a Disaster Emergency due to heavy rains and low-lying area flooding.
Centre County Emergency Management Coordinator Jody Lair directed residents whose homes or residential property were affected by the flooding and severe storms to report their damage. The Residential Self-Report form is now open and can be found online at www.crisistrack.juvare.com/public/centrePA/request.html.
Residents should include photographs showing the damage whenever possible. Reports will help emergency management officials assess the overall impact of the storm and support ongoing response, recovery, and damage assessment efforts.
