It never fails. We get a lot of rain, like we had over the weekend. The phone in the newsroom rings-- a lot. Web site hits spike. People are concerned about river levels. When is the crest? How high? What hapens next? What should I do?
You pass along what you know. The Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross have it down to a science. As a co-worker said Sunday morning, this isn't their first rodeo.
Dealing with the facts is one thing. The fear is something else. As we always remind you, when the Susquehanna River at Wilkes-Barre hits flood stage at 22 feet, only low lying uninhabited areas take on water. It takes around 30 feet to cause real problems. The levee system protects most of the populated areas until the Susquehanna Rises to 41 feet.
There is still potential danger from flash flooding along small creeks and streams. Sone people insist on driving through flooded roads, no matter how many times they're warned. I've seen people drive around barricades on River Road in Plains Township, and I shake my head in disbelief.
No matter how many years pass, Agnes will always have an impact in The Valley.
