Communities Attempt to Return to Normal; Still Concerned about Potential Rainfall

The Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency has been doing a great job keeping the public informed over Schuylkill County's rainfall this week.  Below are Tuesday's updates

11:00am - Schuylkill is still concerned about the potential rainfall that is forecast for the coming days. Though we have been experiencing heavy rains at times, the breaks in rains over the last two days has allowed the municipalities to reduce the impact by pumping water from basements, cleaning and repair roadways and assessing damage.

Pine Grove Borough and the surrounding area is back to a near normal state. Roadways are all open and passable. The American Red Cross Shelter at the Pine Grove High School is closing at noon today. The local officials and first responders are remaining vigilant for additional flooding threats.

Tremont Borough had more significant impact and the efforts to return to normal have been somewhat slower. Teams from several fire stations across the county have been deployed with personnel and portable pumps to remove water from the basements of residential structures. We hope to be able to make substantial progress through this evening. The ARC Shelter at the Tremont Ambulance Association building will remain available for Tremont and other rural area residents. The borough Emergency Operations Center is remaining open.

The National Weather Service has indicated that we may experience additional periods of significant rainfall over the next 48 hours. The county EOC will return to a single 12 hour shift, 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. beginning today, though we will continue to monitor the situation through the 911 Communications Center. If warranted, the EOC will return to 24 hour operation to deal with renewed flooding threats.

In closing, we would again caution all persons to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” when encountering flooded roadways and consult 511PA to monitor road closures.
4:00pm - The rain falling in Schuylkill has shifted to more wide spread showers, rather than the intense localized rainfall that had contributed to the flooding in the areas of western Schuylkill. The National Weather Service has indicated that we can expect the rain to continue through Wednesday evening with some predictions indicating Thursday morning. Most areas of the county are without significant impact from the rain, experiencing only minor flooding. Tremont is continuing operations to pump water from basements, clear storm drains and maintain roadway for access.
Several local residents are utilizing the shelter located at the Tremont Ambulance Association building and supported by the American Red Cross. The borough Emergency Operations Center is remaining open.

The county EOC will return to a single 12 hour shift, 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. beginning today, though we will continue to monitor the situation through the 911 Communications Center. If warranted, the EOC will return to 24 hour operation to deal with renewed flooding threats. 511PA is a resource to check on road conditions both locally and statewide. If traveling, please do not drive through water on a flooded roadway, you never know what it is hiding.