Disaster

locally, leaders announced the disaster declaration during a press conference on Aug. 5.

“The importance of the declaration of a disaster emergency from the

county will allow us to collect data on any damage … and should the federal government or the governor declare a state of emergency in our region from this storm then that gives us the legal mechanism to request reimbursement both for the response that the county had, which was quite extensive, as well as for individual

property owners who’ve had property damaged,” Arkoosh said last Wednesday.

The local legislation permits the Montgomery County Department of Safety to “coordinate the activities of the emergency response, to take all appropriate action needed to alleviate the effects of this disaster, to aid in the restoration of essential public services, and to take any other emergency response action deemed necessary to respond to this disaster emergency.”

The storm resulted in 5,097 calls for assistance to

the county’s 911 center, and area first responders conducted 134 water rescues from vehicles and homes, according to Arkoosh, who added that the lingering effects of Tropical Storm Isaias knocked out power to about 64,000 homes throughout Montgomery County.

There was roughly 8.5 inches of rain in Lower Merion Township, and the “Perkiomen Creek rose to levels not seen in more than 106 years,” Arkoosh said.

According to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J., rainfall

totals spanned from 2.11 inches to 8.59 inches last Tuesday in Montgomery County. The meteorological organization also confirmed a tornado occurred in Worcester Township, officials said last Wednesday.

“The flooding throughout the county endangered the health, safety and welfare of a substantial number of persons and businesses residing in Montgomery County and threatens to create problems that exceed the resources of the municipal sub-divisions and the county may be able to resolve,” the resolution states.

Tropical Storm Isaias also claimed the life of 5-year-old Eliza Talal. The autistic and nonverbal child from Towamencin Township was initially reported missing around noon on Aug. 4. Hundreds of first responders and volunteers searched extensively for nearly 24 hours before finding her body in Fischer’s Park about 1.5 miles from

her home near a creek that flows behind her house.

Arkoosh said Thursday that she and her fellow commissioners “continue to extend our condolences to her family.”

The storm also taxed the resources of the Southeastern Pennsylvania American Red Cross.

More than 100 disaster workers worked in shelters, serving meals and snacks, distributing clean-up kits and other emergency relief supplies and providing health services, according to a press release issued Friday by the Philadelphiabased organization that serves the region including Montgomery County.

The release stated that more than 650 residents were affected by flooding and needed recovery support; more than 350 people stayed in shelters; more than 3,500 meals were served, and 1,100 health checks performed to support COVID-19 safety.