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.
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.
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.
Floodwaters in Pennsylvania | Source: facebook.com/CBSNews
Only the following day, after the weather had improved and the river had subsided, could the rescue operations resume. The rescue teams organized a number of boats to search the Delaware and gathered a team of drones to thoroughly scour the region as soon as they got a clear opportunity to go out and continue their search.
The Ongoing Search
Although Katie’s body has been found, a “massive” search is still going on for the two missing children, who are nine months and two years old. Soon after the disaster, the surviving family members issued a statement in which they expressed their gratitude to all those who assisted with the rescue. Written by a spokesperson:
“Their kindness, compassion, and bravery have strengthened us during this incredibly trying time, and their dedication to returning Conrad and Mattie home is unshakeable. We appreciate that so many victims of these historic floods could be saved.
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 family requested privacy and stated that they would not be making any further statements or responding to any inquiries while they were in mourning.
One of the many individuals that perished in the flood was Katie. The other four individuals were Yuko Love, a 64-year-old Newtown Township resident, a 53-year-old Titusville, NJ, lady named Susan Barnhart, and a 78-year-old Newtown Township resident named Enzo Depiero.
The flood, according to Upper Makefield Fire Chief Time Brewer, came out of nowhere and did unfathomable amounts of damage to local property. Although he admitted that the flood had turned out to be significantly more catastrophic, he said that he considered Hurricane Ida was an unforeseen natural calamity. He said, “In my 44 years, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The Sheils expressed their appreciation to everyone who worked to save those who were killed by the water. In their letter, they expressed their gratitude for the nation’s and the community’s extraordinary support for these families and all first responders. We can’t express our gratitude to you all enough, but know that what you’ve done has been noticed. God bless.
