SHAMOKIN - Comparisons to Hurricane Agnes nearly 40 years ago were being made Wednesday as Shamokin Creek flooded parts of the city.
While the water didn't rise higher than it did in 1972, it did cause tense moments and considerable residential flooding.
At about 3:20 p.m., emergency officials were evacuating portions of Rock Street, from East Pine to East Chestnut streets.
They were offered shelter at the Shamokin Area Elementary Annex. Some residents of Third Street, off of Walnut Street, were also evacuated.
The creek also flooded onto North Third Street, and a state of emergency was declared Wednesday afternoon by Shamokin Mayor George Rozinskie.
"Police Chief Edward Griffiths will probably be working all night, directing our efforts, and we have extra police, firefighters and street department workers on hand to try to handle any problems," the mayor said about 7:30 p.m.
A report about Independence Street businesses being told to close early because of the heavy rains was dismissed by Rozinskie as rumor.
Nightmare on Wood Street
While the situation for Margie Cwalina was less dire than some of the rescues and evacuations that took place throughout Northumberland County on Wednesday, it was upsetting.
Cwalina, 75, of 1443 W. Wood St., Coal Township, a few blocks east of the Shamokin Area School District campus, was visibly shaken by the ankle-high waters that had pooled around her home and into her well-manicured yard after Furnace Run rushed out of its channel; a sump pump was working in earnest nearby.
With water flowing from the creek into her yard and runoff cascading from the Spruce Street area down a bank to the rear of her home, she called for help.
"I never called 911 in my entire life," she said, fighting back tears.
Living in a flood zone, Cwalina is uninsured.
Culm bank runoff
Residing at the base of the Cameron Bank on Bunker Hill, the Schetroma home at 71-73 E. Dewart St. in Coal Township faced no threat from rising creek waters. However, runoff from the mountain behind broke through a retaining wall and rushed around their home, the muddy black water rushing onto Dewart Street and leaving behind an estimated foot of coal silt in their front yard.
Theresa and Richard Schetroma were fast asleep about 2 a.m. when the 10-foot block retaining wall tumbled.
"I thought it was thunder," Theresa Schetroma said.
The Schetromas said the force of the wall crashing against their home sent dishes spilling out of a kitchen cabinet.
Richard Schetroma awoke early Wednesday and waited outside the Coal Township Municipal Building to speak with officials about the situation. He was told a road that had been altered on the bank above them was to blame for the diverted rain water.
They've lived at the home 34 years and never experienced water runoff like they had Wednesday, the couple said. Surprisingly, their basement took on only a small amount of water.
By mid-afternoon, the runoff was addressed, Theresa said, and had lessened greatly.
Theresa Schetroma was hopeful a second retaining wall would hold while her husband worried the ground around a PPL power line on the mountain above their home would erode and send it toppling over.