The flood of ’96 came less than two weeks after the blizzard of ’96, with more than 2 inches of rain and snowmelt from the nearly two feet of snow on the ground.
PENNSYLVANIA, USA — 30 years later, we are taking a look back at the deadly flood of ’96. It came less than two weeks after one of the biggest snowstorms ever.Â
Temperatures were in the 60s on January 19, 1996; more than 2 inches of rain fell in the Scranton area that day, and there was significant snowmelt from the nearly two feet of snow on the ground.
6 people died in Lycoming County, one of the hardest hit areas. Thousands of people in the Susquehanna and Wyoming Valleys evacuated their homes in the days that followed as creeks and rivers continued to rise.Â
It wasn’t the worst flood we’ve ever seen, but community leaders and emergency managers still use the ’96 flood to learn from and plan for disaster situations 30 years later.Â