Storm, flash flooding hit area again

Early morning storms over Pittsburgh’s East End and some North Hills communities caused power outages, flooding, traffic headaches — and a scary situation for riders on a Port Authority bus.

The line of storms dumped up to an inch of rain in some areas, according to the National Weather Service.

Motorists encountered road closures in Aspinwall, Highland Park and some areas of the North Hills. Nearly all traffic was prohibited from entering Millvale from 7 a.m. until after noon after Girty’s Run breached its banks, flooding homes and businesses, and leaving behind mud-caked streets. The Washington Boulevard flood gates near Highland Park remained closed Thursday night, according to Pittsburgh police. Ross police said that Peoples Road at Babcock Boulevard remained closed Thursday evening after a portion of the road buckled.

Also in Ross, riders on the Port Authority’s Thompson Run Flyer heading to Downtown saw rising flood waters shortly after 8 a.m. Thursday on Babcock Boulevard and Thompson Run Road.

A 53-year-old Ross woman said she and other passengers were aboard the bus when, at one point, about 6 inches of water was on the floor toward the front of the bus — and she said

Bruce Bruns, whose Butler Street home is seven lots from the creek, said firefighters had to set up a pump to empty his basement.

“I have 9-foot ceilings, and I had about 8½ feet [of water]. It did not hit the first floor, but it came right to it,” Mr. Bruns said.

Bob Coblentz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, said that because the ground in many areas already was saturated, even one-tenth of an inch of rain could cause flash flooding.

“Anywhere in and around the city right now, any rain is going to create problems. Bottom line,” he said.

A flash flood watch remained in effect through Thursday evening as more rain was expected Thursday evening into Friday morning, but Mr. Coblentz said relief is on the way. After the front moves through by Friday morning, he said, things will be dry until Wednesday. “Of course, this time of year, things can change, but that’s how we’re looking right now. [On Friday] things will back off. After that, we’re going to dry out pretty good.”

By Thursday evening, Duquesne Light said 3,400 customers were still without power, mainly in Fox Chapel, Penn Hills, Ross and Shadyside. That was down from 10,000 earlier.