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LOCAL HISTORY Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA (Lackawanna)

1955 - Hurricane Diane - NINE DEATHS REPORTED IN EASTERN PA. 650 YOUNGSTERS MAROONED; RAIN REACHES 9 INCHES.

DateAugust 19, 1955 PlaceChester, Pennsylvania PublicationChester Times

Philadelphia (AP) - Rain-swollen rivers rampaged through eastern Pennsylania today, causing at least nine deaths and isolating towns and cities. The threat was still increasing in some communities.
The swiftly rising waters marooned 650 youngsters on two island camps in the Delaware River about 10 miles north of Philadelphia. They virtually cut off Scranton and smaller communities from passage, and brought a major flood warning at Bethlehem.

Another 310 persons were stranded in two Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad trains in the Pocono Mountains between Cresco and Tobyhanna. The railroad said the 2nd Army had promised helicopters would try to remove the passengers.

9 Inches Of Rain.
In addition to the known deaths, other persons were unaccounted for.
Rains totaled more than 9 inches in one sector.

While Pennsylvania was hardest hit by what was left by Hurricane DIANE, there were floods throughout a wide area of the northeast United States...

...Details were sent to Scranton, a city of 140,000 population, where rescue missions went on continually and more than 50 persons were stranded atop manufacturing plant rooftops by the Lackawanna River, which went nine feet above flood stage with the rains still pouring...
SOURCE DETAILS
Publication
Chester Times
Place
Chester, Pennsylvania
Date
August 19, 1955
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