The storm moved toward the Mid-Atlantic coast, and on Friday morning the National Weather Service in State College issued a flash flood warning for Lycoming County and area communities. It warned of life-threatening conditions in low-lying areas, with 3 to 4 inches of rain expected to fall in a short period of time.

Catastrophic flooding occurred in Saldasburg, which was inundated, and in Trout Run, where the local fire station was evacuated because floodwaters damaged the building.

Emergency response

Just before 2 p.m., when the sky became sunny again for two hours, a firefighter in Saldasburg said: “The whole village is flooded. The main street is closed and the water is still rising.”

“We need resources to start going door to door” for evacuation, he said.

Following this announcement, state police, along with Lycoming County sheriff’s deputies, assisted fire personnel in evacuating residents affected by the flooding.

Salladasburg Elementary School on Route 287 opened as an emergency evacuation center. The school is in the Jersey Shore Regional School District.

A voluntary evacuation on Main Street in Saldasburg was made mandatory around 3 p.m. when a large 1,000-pound propane tank was discovered leaking at 440 Main Street. A firefighter at the scene said, “All the valves on the tank were broken.”

The area from Main Street to Route 973 was evacuated until all free burning gas in the tank was evacuated and the cylinder was secured.

A boil water advisory went into effect during the day. The Jersey Shore Water Authority began experiencing a loss of water treatment capacity due to the flooding. This loss of water treatment was considered a sign that conditions existed that could allow contamination to enter the distribution system.

As a result, the water has an increased likelihood of containing disease-causing organisms. Authorities have warned individuals not to drink water without boiling it first.

Streets and roads in many areas served by the U.S. Postal Service office in Williamsport were impassable for mail delivery trucks, so mail and packages were not being delivered Friday, a spokesperson told the Sun-Gazette staff.

The intersection of Reach Road and South Reach Road, near the postal facility, was covered with water as high as the hoods of vehicles at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Many drivers, including those working in commercial tractor-trailers, entered the standing water, creating rippling effects like waves on a lake. Rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone areas were simultaneously flooded, and numerous roads were closed, including a portion of Elimsport Road west of Montgomery.

Donors need help

Trout Run volunteer Fire Chief Nick Smith said much of the village was evacuated because of the flooding, including the fire station on Route 14, which sustained heavy structural damage.

“Our fire station, which serves as an evacuation center, was put in danger when a large tree fell on our social hall.” He said about 30 to 40 people were transported to the fire station in Hepburn Township.

“Little Trout Run, as we call it here, has never been as underwater as it is today,” Smith said.

Around 4 p.m., a bridge on Route 14 near Trout Run collapsed, according to a Sun-Gazette staff member.

A Williamsport worker clears debris from Grafius Run as heavy rain fell early Friday morning. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

A shelter was also set up at the Old Lycoming Township Fire Company after a large number of people arrived living in mobile homes and houses near Lycoming Creek and its tributaries.

The Lycoming Regional Police Department requested evacuations from the Larryville area of ​​Piatt Township. Police warned residents of the impending flooding and encouraged evacuations of properties shortly before 4 p.m.

Two rescue boats from the Williamsport Fire Department were dispatched to Westfield in Tioga County to assist with evacuations.

Rain affected several communities including Williamsport, Sunbury, Milton, Lewisburg, Montoursville, Jersey Shore, Northumberland, Mansfield, Mifflinburg, Wellsboro, Carroll, Winfield, Morris, Watsontown, Montgomery, Blossburg, Linntown, Avis, DuBoistown, and New Columbia.

In Williamsport, travelers were asked to avoid West Fourth Street between Wayne and Ridge avenues in Newberry. Flooding also occurred on Rose Street between West Third Street and Dix Street and Sherman Street at Hadtner Avenue, according to the Williamsport Police Bureau.

City couple Joyce and Phil Reed, of 432 Highland Terrace, steps from Grafius Run, watched as water rose up the ill-fated waterway and then seeped down the side of their home into the basement, leaving behind mud the couple had to clean up.

A construction equipment operator from the municipality’s Public Works Department arrived at the scene at around 7 a.m. He was collecting rubble and arranging it in a pile to prevent further flooding.

The couple said that there was flooding when they arrived at the scene and that they expected a faster response.

“We were told the city only has one excavator and they will try to borrow another one.” Joyce Reed said.

Heavy rainfall in the central part of the state caused flash flooding, causing small streams and creeks to overflow, prompting fire crews to conduct water rescues on Elimsport Road in Susquehanna Township and Washington Township.

Shortly after 2:30 p.m., life-threatening flash flooding occurred in northwest Tioga County, prompting a call for all boats and helicopters to assist in rescue efforts, according to Facebook’s Live Storm Chasers.

Numerous water rescues were conducted, including on Circle J. Road in Washington Township, 1100 E. Cottage Ave. in Old Lycoming Township and the 1500 block of Hensler Road in Mifflin Township.

Storm bands brought another round of rain at 4 p.m., with city firefighters responding to a report of water in the basement of a residence on Grier Street.

Flooding affected Route 44 between Masser Road in Gregg Township and Mill Road in Washington Township; Route 44 between Gap Road and Mill Road in Washington Township; Route 14 between the on-ramp to Route 15 in Lewis Township and Trout Run Mountain Road; Blockhouse Road between Brick Church Road and Route 15 north in Jackson Township; Route 284 between Route 15 south and Route 287 in Pine Township; Route 184 between Route 15 and Route 287 in Cogan House Township; Jacks Hollow Road and Valley Avenue between Nippenose Road in Bastress Township and Euclid Avenue in DuBoistown; Route 15 in Buttonwood; Pleasant Valley Road between Rose Valley Road and Lycoming Creek Road in Hepburn Township; Blockhouse Road in the Buttonwood area; and Route 287 between Route 184 and the Tioga County border.

The state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is continually updating the list of flood-affected roads and downed trees or utilities as situations change.

Water rescue efforts continued until late in the afternoon.

Sun-Gazette staff members Dave Kennedy and Philip A. Holmes contributed to this article.