UPDATE
Jul 22, 2023 9:29 AM CDT
Police have confirmed that a body found in the Delaware River near a Philadelphia wastewater plant Friday is that of 2-year-old Matilda "Mattie" Sheils, who was swept away in a flash flood a week ago. Her mother, Katie Seley, was one of five people who died in the flood and her 9-month-old brother Conrad is still missing. Father Jim Sheils survived, as did the children's grandmother and a 4-year-old sibling, ABC6 reports. Mattie was swept away in Upper Makefield Township, 32 miles from where her body was found. "We are so appreciative of the 911 callers who spotted Mattie and for the Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments all of whom helped us bring Mattie home," the township's police department said in a Facebook post Friday. "This has been an extremely intense and emotional time for the family, for our first responders, and for the community and I know all our hearts are broken this evening."
Jul 17, 2023 12:30 AM CDT
Heavy rains pounded an already saturated Northeast on Sunday for the second time in a week, spurring another round of flash flooding, canceled airline flights, and power outages. In Pennsylvania, a sudden flash flood late Saturday afternoon claimed at least five lives, the AP reports. Officials in Bucks County's Upper Makefield Township said torrential rains occurred around 5:30pm Saturday in the Washington Crossing area, sweeping away several cars. At least five people died and two children, a 9-month-old boy and his 2-year-old sister, remained missing, authorities said. Other parts of the East Coast were experiencing heavy rain, including Vermont. Authorities there said landslides could become a problem Sunday as the state copes with more rain following days of flooding.
"There are flash flood warnings throughout the state today. Remain vigilant and be prepared," Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said. Sunday's strong storms led to hundreds of flight cancellations at airports in the New York City area, according to the tracking service FlightAware. More than 350 flights were canceled at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey alone, while more than 280 flights were canceled at Kennedy International Airport in New York. Hundreds of flights were delayed. The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings and tornado watches for parts of Connecticut, western Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. A tornado warning was issued for an area along the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border. Thousands of power outages also were reported.
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In Pennsylvania, a sudden, torrential downpour turned deadly in Upper Makefield Township. The two children who remained missing Sunday are part of a family from Charleston, South Carolina, visiting family and friends. They were on their way to a barbecue when their vehicle got stuck in the flash flood, an official said. "As they tried to escape the fierce floodwaters, Dad took his 4-year-old son while the mother and the grandmother grabbed the two additional children, aged 9 months and 2 years," he said. The father and son were "miraculously" able to get to safety. "However the grandmother, the mother, and the two children were swept away by the floodwaters," Brewer said. The mother was among those later found dead.
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