The LuLac Edition #1748, September 9th, 2011
PHOTO INDEX: PENNSYLVANIA SENATORS BOB CASEY AND PAT TOOMEY.
TOOMEY AND CASEY TOUR
Senators Pat Toomey and Bob Casey toured the region today. Both stopped by the 8th Street Bridge area of Jenkins Township as well as the flooded West Pittston Armory. Casey left Washington just after President Barack Obama’s address to both houses of Congress yesterday while Toomey spent the day participating in the first formal meeting of Congress’ Joint Select committee on Deficit Reduction. Both saw first hand the damage from the raging river.
Governor Tom Corbett is set to meet with the media at EMA headquarters.
LEVEE STRESSED
Luzerne County engineer Jim Brozina says the Susquehanna River levee system is under extreme stress, due to the fact that the river actually crested at 42.66 feet, according to the National Weather Service, not the 38.83-foot level previously reported.
Brozina said that erroneous information about a lower crest was caused by malfunctioning gages.
The levee system protects the Wyoming Valley to 41 feet, but there is a 3-foot buffer zone. That is why the river did not overflow the system.
Despite that, Brozina said the system remains perilous, as the system is beyond what it was designed to withstand.
Officials are extremely concerned that residents are returning to their residences too soon, and urged them not to do so.
Luzerne County Commissioner Steve Urban said the determination the river crested four feet above the previously reported level came after consultation with National Weather Service and Army Corps of Engineers officials. Urban said the new crest total was a result of taking into effect the flood levels in areas around the levee.
Residents who were evacuated need to stay put. The temptation to go back and think the danger is over will only result in more confusion and possible danger or loss of life. Not being dramatic here, just realistic.
TIMES lEADER/lUlAC
NATIONAL NEWS
The flooding of the Susquehanna River and surrounding creeks and streams has received national media attention. Reporters from The Weather Channel, CNN and the Associated Press visited the area, while major news networks such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX News, and MSNBC featured the flood on television programs and on websites. Al Roker from the Today Show was here as well as Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel visited the area Thursday and Friday to report on river level.
posted by David Yonki @ 2:34 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
What a difference 39 makes! During the Agnes Flood we had three local TV stations trying to keep up with what was happening with very limited Live equipment. We had about 14 area radio stations providing information at the very least once an hour with several providing on going coverage. While TV coverage of the current emergency is much much better (far better live coverage and a wise decision by Nexstar to offer its coverage on both 28 and 22). Thank God for WILK as far as radio is concerned! I tuned back and forth on the AM and FM dial looking for on going coverage yesterday. It was the only outlet providing it. During Agnes we had stations as far away as Hazleton re-broadcasting our signal to make sure as many people as possible knew what was happening and what they were suppose to do.
Excellent Wall to Wall Coverage by
WILK. A great job done by all, all around. Thats where Radio can be such a service to the community. Instant information. Good job.
There was a time WARM and WILK would have been in the field.
Hats off to Radio.
Here is a thought, the 72 flood had the river crest at approx 41 feet but no one mentions that the river flowed over the WB dykes and it broke through the dyke in Forty Fort. With that knowledge, why did they only increase the new dyke by one foot? I never had much confidence in Brozena as the county engineer, especially when he was the brain that wanted to lace crushed rock on top of the dykes which would have prevented walking, biking and roller bladding. I'm thrilled he was over rulled on that but it shows what a man of little imagination he is. So who do we blame that the system is stressed? If they built it with common sense, it would have gone up another 3 or 4 feet and that would have been the effective way to do it. I said that at the time and I am saying it again. I bet the powers to be in West Pittston would like to change their decision to ot out of new dykes. Fools, all!
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