BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Communities in Columbia County are bracing for more rain as several counties deal with flash flooding.
Many areas are still under a flood watch or warning.
Many in Bloomsburg are still in a shelter Tuesday morning after Fishing Creek came over its banks hard and fast.
The Red Cross volunteers set up the shelter at the Columbia-Montour Area Vocational Technical School.
An emergency siren was sounded for evacuations Monday.
Police and fire crews called for people in the west end of town to leave their homes and head to higher ground.
The flash flooding came fast and hit hard Monday, forcing people from their homes on the West End of Bloomsburg.
Fishing Creek exploded from its banks turning roadways into raging rivers.
"Something happened, something let loose and it went from 4 feet below the bank to running down Leonard Street, so it was a current down through here,” said Dr. Russell Hoch of Bloomsburg.
When the water receded, it left a massive mess behind: thick muck on sidewalks and streets, clogged drains, and debris everywhere.
Properties were flooded and people spent hours pumping out basements.
"We're old pros at it, aren't we? We know exactly what to do, I have the gas pump in the garage, I have the sump pump going, my furniture is in a U-Haul out of here and the cleanup, we know exactly what to do,” said Johnie Kashner of Bloomsburg.
Parts of the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds were under water and it was wet inside some buildings on the grounds, too.
The fair is a month away.
"This is just what happens in the west end until they put some kind of protection for us down here, it's going to keep happening over and over,” said Christopher Seely of Bloomsburg.
Some living and working in Bloomsburg demand more flood protection.
"It's weeks to get back for you know just a few hours of tragedy but we need to do something about this creek out here, it's time. It's the third time in 13 years, it's time we get things straightened out here,” said Dr. Hoch.
"When she came home, the water was down. It went down a foot. She was home an hour and a half and it went up two and a half feet," explained Paul Polk of Bloomsburg.
See the latest list of road closures here.
For latest weather forecast, click here.
