The "1,000-Year Storm"

Piney1125

Scout
May 1, 2004
65
0
Cherry Hill, NJ
'1,000-Year Storm' Leaves a Wreck

By Troy Graham

Inquirer Staff Writer


As floodwaters receded from a swath of South Jersey yesterday, residents and officials took stock of widespread damage that could take days, if not weeks, to fix.

Many of the nearly 800 people evacuated in cars, boats and canoes now face problems ranging from flooded basements and lost keepsakes to condemned homes and no flood insurance.

State and county officials have to contend with mud-soaked towns and closed roads, potentially tainted water supplies, and broken dams.

Gov. McGreevey toured the damage by helicopter early in the day, then declared Burlington and Camden Counties a disaster area. Meanwhile, the state's congressional delegation pressed the White House for federal assistance.

Meteorologists said Monday's rainfall resulted from a "1,000-year storm," and said more severe weather could arrive today. The heaviest rain could come in the middle of the day, bringing hail and strong wind.

The worst of the flooding hit the Burlington County towns of Medford, Medford Lakes and Lumberton along branches of the Rancocas Creek, as well as Southampton and Tabernacle, where more than 12 inches of rain fell.

"There's a lot of issues out there," said Vincent R. Farias, Burlington County freeholder director. "It's a mess."

The rainfall in Philadelphia was considerably less, but the 4.31 inches measured at the airport was still a record for the date. A handful of people also had to be evacuated in the Reading and Pottsville areas because of heavy rain and a landslide.

While Pennsylvania emerged from the storm relatively unscathed, the toll in New Jersey was staggering.

As many as 200 homes suffered serious damage in Burlington County alone.

A major bridge on Route 70 in Southampton was washed out and will have to be rebuilt. Many smaller bridges also were washed out. More than 15 major roads were flooded.

Despite the property damage, no serious injuries or deaths were reported.

"It took everybody by surprise, but it did not catch us unprepared," Farias said.

Problems for some residents will continue throughout the week. Medford Lakes shut down its sewage plant Monday night. Residents there were urged not to flush their toilets, and those with well water were told they should consider their drinking supply contaminated.

The Route 70 bridge, which carried nearly 20,000 cars a day along a major artery to Long Beach Island, could take four to six weeks and $2 million to repair. State crews hope to erect a temporary two-lane bridge in the next few days.

Meterologists in the meantime were keeping an eye on today's approaching storm system.

"As you undoubtedly know, the ground is saturated, and it won't take much rain to initiate more flooding," said Jim Eberwine of the National Weather Service in Mount Holly. "It won't take very strong winds to bring down trees because of the saturated conditions."

He urged residents in flooded areas to "remain vigilant... for any weather changes."

At a news conference last night at the Medford Public Safety Building, officials took stock of the damage.

"Areas are still under water," said Mike Beeman of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "There are gas lines open in some areas and broken sewer lines. There is a lot to be concerned about."

He said FEMA would decide within the next few days whether to recommend that the White House provide federal assistance. Beeman said residents should document their loses for possible claims.

After a day of torrential rain, flooding began Monday night in Medford and Medford Lakes, along the southwest branch of Rancocas Creek. Flooding continued yesterday morning in other Burlington County towns.

"The water rose four to five feet in 20 minutes," said Kevin Tuno, Burlington County's emergency management coordinator.

Most of the flooding was due to damaged or failing dams. Ten failed, and two others were severely weakened, state officials said.

While cost estimates were unavailable yesterday, Medford Lakes officials said repairs to three dams there could cost as much as $7.5 million.

In Lumberton, the water rose so quickly that people barely had enough time to escape. Some fled historic homes dating back to the 18th century.

Jason Kring, 60, and his partner, Charles Kring, 77, said water invaded their 120-year-old home around midnight. An hour later, as the water reached their waists, a boat pulled right up to the front door.

"I had to climb up on the rail of the deck to get in," Jason Kring said. "I wanted to stay but everything was under water."

Nearby, Gwen Laisie grabbed her own canoe and was planning to escape with a few possessions when she heard a neighbor crying for help. After taking the man to safety, rescue workers wouldn't allow her to return home for her belongings or her dog, Phoebe.

"They said it was too dangerous," she said.

Those sorts of scenes played out throughout the area, as residents gathered in boats and left behind homes, cars and pets. Some residents used their own crafts, while local rescue workers and Coast Guard crews picked up stranded residents in boats and a hovercraft reminiscent of those in the Florida Everglades.

Michael Donnelly, 25, of Hainesport, rushed to Creek Road in Lumberton, where his parents and brother live, bringing a canoe. He and rescue workers used it to transport trapped residents.

"We went up and down the whole street," Donnelly said. "It was basically like a shuttle bus."

He said they got everyone out of their homes except one man who refused to leave as he tried to fight off the water with a pump.

"He's been here his whole life and he's not about to leave now," Donnelly said. "He's going down with the ship."

Rescuer Fred Hines decribed the force of the water as he felt it on his hovercraft.

"The water is really screaming," he said. "The currents are so strong we can't maneuver well. It threw us into trees. It's raging waters, like class two rapids. And it's getting worse."

Many of those evacuated spent the night in shelters. In Medford, two shelters themselves were cut off for a time by flooding, said Police Chief Edwin Wood.

At Lenape High School, wooden Army-style cots were set up by the American Red Cross, and evacuees ate breakfast prepared in the cafeteria.

Sandy Tams, of Mount Laurel, spent the night there with her husband, two children and their dog, Sugar. Mount Laurel emergency officials knocked on her door at 1:30 a.m., telling them they had to leave, she said.

"We had to walk through three feet of water," Tams said. "We got here at 2:30 or 3:00... At that point, there were dogs and kids and confusion. No one got more than a half-hour sleep."

McGreevey stopped at the school yesterday morning to announce that he would declare a state of emergency.

"People were wiped out," McGreevey said.

In the Ridings of Fox development in Cherry Hill, three partially collapsed homes were marked with Day-Glo orange stickers declaring them as unfit for habitation. Michael Funari, unsure if he had flood insurance, paced outside his home yesterday, waiting for his insurance agent to return a call.

"I just got back from Atlantic City," he said. "I haven't even had a chance to see what damage has been done."
 
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