New Orleans father on Ida’s aftermath: ‘We can’t live like this’
Three storm-related deaths are currently being investigated in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a county official said Thursday.
“I am extremely sad to report that there are currently three storm-related fatalities being investigated by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. We will have further details on those once they become available. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to their family and friends,” said Dr. Val Arkoosh, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.
Arkoosh said they could not confirm any specific details about the deaths at the moment, but said one of the deaths was “due to structural damage from the storm in Upper Dublin.” She added that the other two fatalities are believed to have been from drowning – one death involved a car and the other death involved an individual inside a building that flooded.
Some context: Arkoosh also said there have been at least 452 water rescues in the county as of 11 a.m. Thursday and that rescues will continue throughout the day.
There are “emergency personnel who are actively rescuing people at this very moment,” Arkoosh said. The next highest number of water rescues that the county had previously conducted was 135 during a storm last year, she said.
The county’s 911 call center received 6,583 calls for assistance from approximately 11 a.m. Wednesday through 11 a.m. Thursday, Arkoosh said. She added that this is three times the number of 911 calls they normally receive in a 24-hour period.
Montgomery County recorded about 8.25 inches of rain and many roads and bridges remain closed on Thursday. There are currently about 38,000 customers in the county still without electricity, Arkoosh said.
