Flash Flood in Pennsylvania Leaves 5 Dead, 2 Children Missing
UPPER MAKEFIELD TWP., Pennsylvania – Tragedy struck the residents of Upper Makefield Township on Saturday evening when a flash flood swamped a southeastern Pennsylvania road, leaving five people dead and two children missing.
The missing children, a 9-month-old boy and a 2-year-old girl, were part of a family visiting from Charleston, South Carolina. The family was on their way to a barbecue when they became trapped in the flash flood caused by torrential rains in the Washington Crossing area.
The father and grandmother managed to escape with their four-year-old son, but the mother and the two younger children were swept away by flood waters. As of now, their bodies have not been recovered.
“We continue to look for the two children. We are not going to give up, regardless,” said Upper Makefield Fire Chief Tim Brewer during a press conference. Despite challenging weather conditions, the search and rescue operation will continue.
The area received an unprecedented amount of rainfall, with about six-and-a-half to seven inches falling in just 45 minutes on Saturday. “In my 44 years, I’ve never seen anything like it,” commented Brewer. He also mentioned that no one drove into the flooded road intentionally; they were caught by surprise.
In addition to the tragic loss of life, eight people were rescued from cars and two from a creek over the weekend. Three vehicles were swept away and were later found empty. One vehicle was located 1.5 miles from where it entered the creek.
Local residents described the flooding as extreme, with cars being swept away and abandoned in roadways. “There were about five to seven minutes when, really, the sky opened up,” said Nick Primola from Yardley. The heavy rain came and went so quickly, providing little time for people to prepare.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his support for the Upper Makefield community, stating, “This is a moment that calls on all of us to come together to lift up Upper Makefield and the Bucks County community, and that is exactly what we are doing.”
Upper Makefield Police have released a list of closed roads, and they urge people to avoid traveling through flooded areas. Search and rescue efforts involved approximately 150 people during the night and 100 on Sunday morning.
Residents and business owners in Upper Makefield Township who have experienced property or business damage due to the flash flood are asked to report it to the township authorities. The township phone number is (215) 968-3340.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the community, and people are rallying together to support the affected families and assist in any way they can during this difficult time.
(Note: “The Associated Press contributed to this report.”)