WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Officials in the city of Wilkes-Barre are keeping a close eye on creeks that have been trouble spots in the past, but all of Luzerne County is keeping an eye on this storm as it heads north.
The floodgates are coming down, and city officials are closing three bridges that cross Solomon Creek in south Wilkes-Barre on South Franklin, Regent, and Waller Streets as remnants of Ida make their way north.
"Purely precautionary, but we have the labor manpower here today to get it done, so I decided, look, let's get it done today. We can always take it down," said Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown.
Officials are keeping an eye on Laurel Run Creek in the Parson section of the city because right now, floodwalls there are being reconstructed. They were falling into the creek and had to come down. So right now, there's no line of defense should this creek rise.
"We're putting what's called a coffer dam up in that area, which will take the water and push it away from the area under construction. That's going to be put in today, along with some security fencing," said the mayor.
Inside the Luzerne County Emergency Management Agency, officials are keeping an eye on other vulnerable areas too.
"Plainsville obviously, Omailia's where you just came from, Nanticoke, West Nanticoke places like that, like Mocanaqua where some of the houses were already bought out from the 2011 flood, so we don't have as many people in the floodplain there. But some of the low-lying areas plus, anybody that lives by a creek stream any waterway," said Lucy Morgan, Luzerne County EMA director.
Officials say that at first, they were not too concerned with river levels because they weren't sure how much rain the watershed north of the Susquehanna River would get, but it is still hard to predict what will happen.
"It's easier to forecast a storm like this the closer it gets. We like to give a lot more lead time, but it just wasn't possible with this storm, but we are just trying to get the information out, asking people to follow the media, and just keep up to date, you know. Things could happen in the middle of the night. Have batteries, have a radio, have a weather radio, things like that so that if something does happen quickly, which could happen with these storms, that they're prepared," Morgan advised.
Officials with the Luzerne County EMA say they will be updating us throughout the rain event with the information they believe everyone at home should know, but they say if you are in an at-risk area, it is smart to have supplies and a go-bag, with things like water, food, batteries, packed should you have to leave the area.
Get the full Stormtracker 16 forecast here.
Check river and stream levels near you here.