Over the weekend, tragedy struck Pennsylvania when a flash flood burst into the streets, destroying homes and sweeping away cars. Eleven cars were submerged in a flood of water when the heavy downpour hit while they were parked on General Washington Memorial Boulevard.
Floodwaters in Pennsylvania | Source: facebook.com/CBSNews
Five individuals have died so far, but there are still a few people missing. Katie Seley, a 32-year-old South Carolina mother who was visiting relatives with her family when the unexpected occurred, was one of the people who perished in the sudden flood.
While Katie passed away, Jim Sheils, their oldest son Jack, 4, and her mother Dahlia, 62, all escaped the water unscathed. Katie’s husband, however, did not. While Katie and her mother were attempting to bring the other two kids, Mattie and Conrad, to safety when the flood caught hold of them, three members of the family are safe.
The family has asked a spokesman to speak on their behalf to the media to explain what transpired even though they have opted not to speak to the media themselves. The family was traveling to a barbecue while on vacation in Pennsylvania, the spokeswoman said when a sudden downpour of water suddenly struck them.
Fortunately, the grandma was able to free herself from the violent current of water and was soon treated at a nearby hospital. Soon after the flood began, search crews arrived and discovered Katie’s body among the debris the flash storm had left behind. Sadly, the family’s other two children have yet to be located.
Floodwaters in Pennsylvania | Source: facebook.com/CBSNews
How a Dream Vacation Became a Reality
When the sudden flash flood struck, Katie, her husband, their three children, and Katie’s mother were visiting family. When the water overflowed onto the streets while the family was in their car, Jim had to take quick action. While his wife and mother-in-law sought to snag the other two children, he was able to save his oldest son.
The family also expressed their gratitude to the neighborhood for their ongoing support, saying that it has enabled them to remain resilient throughout this trying time.
The mother of three was swept away in the flood together with her two children, despite the fact that Katie’s mother had managed to escape the rushing water. Soon after, Katie’s body was discovered; she had perished in the flood. Teams of searchers had to sift through the flood’s debris.
The family went into more detail about the incident, saying that the water appeared out of nowhere and completely caught everyone off surprise. They were very clear that they never drove into a flooded street. Instead, as they were only traveling, the river swept around them, engulfing the vehicle and nearly sweeping them all away.
They briefly stopped their efforts when the search teams arrived to help them after Jim, his mother-in-law, and his oldest son reached safety. The search teams would resume their efforts the very following day, the family told everyone. A news conference was planned at 3 p.m. at the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church.
Photos of the storm and its aftermath demonstrated the water’s untamed power. In addition to flooding countless local homes, the deluge also overturned a large number of cars, tore branches off nearby trees, and severely damaged the community’s infrastructure. While they waited for the deluge to stop, search crews had to put their operations on hold.