At Least 3 Dead In Montgomery County In Wake Of Ida

NORRISTOWN, PA — At least three people were killed in Montgomery County as the remnants of Hurricane Ida brought torrential rain, historic flooding, and potential tornadoes to the region.

One of the deaths was in Upper Dublin Township, where a tree fell into a local home, officials confirmed. The other two involved drowning incidents, including one victim who became trapped in a vehicle, and one who was inside a building that flooded, according to the county.

Further details on the deaths, as well as identification of the victims, was not made available Thursday afternoon. The Montgomery County Coroner's Office is investigating all three incidents as "storm-related."

The impacts of the storm are not yet over, as several water rescue events were still ongoing Thursday morning. Officials described it as an "active incident."

"This storm is a historical flooding event," Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said. "Please, do not travel unless you absolutely have to."

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Similar deaths were reported elsewhere in the region, including in Bucks County, where a man died while driving through floodwaters.

Over the past 24 hours, the county says they have received 6,583 calls to 911 for assistance, with the busiest hour between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. That's roughly triple the number of calls received in a 24 hour period.

That includes a total of 452 water rescue events, as the Schuylkill River and Perkiomen Creek swelled to all-time record heights. As of Thursday morning, both waterways were continuing to rise, with crests expected in the early afternoon.

Officials said that the Perkiomen, specifically, was responsible for a large number of calls. "That created most of the flood hazards," Public Safety Director Michael Vest said, with rescues underway in Collegeville, Schwenksville, Perkiomen Township, and elsewhere nearby.

Finally, one of several potential tornadoes that hit the region Wednesday night is under investigation in Montgomery County by the National Weather Service. That particular front ran out of the southwest from Whitemarsh to Upper Dublin, and up the Route 309 corridor to Horsham.

Damage in the Upper Dublin and Maple Glen area was particularly severe, with roofs damaged or blown off the Upper Dublin police station, township building, and the pool area at the high school.

All told, some 38,000 Montgomery County residents remained without power as of Thursday afternoon.

County response

Officials are continuing to address the storm's impacts across the county.

If you suffered property damage, visit the Montgomery County's Ida resource page to file damage assessment forms. You can also call the Crisis Cleanup Hotline at 844-965-1386 to assist in recovery.

The county has also issued a disaster declaration, which will allow them to collect insurance reimbursement for storm damages.