Twenty years ago, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan swept through our area setting rainfall records, destroying property and claiming lives. Twelve people died in Pennsylvania, including a man who was swept away by the fast-rising flood waters in our area.
Ron Watters has been fixing and selling cars in Oakdale for decades. His family has been in the automotive business for a century.
Watters sat no one could anticipate the devastation–from what many called a “once in a lifetime” flood.
When torrential rain from Ivan moved through Ron’s garage was submerged in water.
Mark Snatchko was working nearby when the water started coming up fast, they couldn’t get ahead of it.
“We felt we had no choice but to jump into the water and make it out,” recalled Snatchko.
“It was what we felt we had to do for survival. but we were lucky jumping into that water and making it out without harm.”
After the flood water receded the owner of Moore’s Hardware remembers a surreal scene.
“The house on the corner had a piano, out for garbage pickup. It actually flowed down, broke this window, and was lodged in our store,” Kathy Stipanovich said.