A series of thunderstorms with torrential downpours caused widespread poor drainage and stream flooding in lower Montgomery County. Numerous vehicles were stranded in high water with many rescues performed. Several roads and bridges were damaged by flooding streams. Forty-eight homes were damaged, mainly with flooded basements. Three businesses were destroyed. Lower Merion and Springfield Townships and Narberth Borough were among the hardest hit areas. Doppler Radar storm total estimates reached between 4 and 5 inches in Lower Merion Township. PECO Energy reported about 35,000 homes and businesses lost power in their service area including Montgomery County. Creeks that flooded included the Flourtown, Indian, Manor Run, Mill, Park, Sandy Run and Sunnybrook. On August 5th, Governor Ed Rendell declared a state of disaster in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This cleared the way for victims to receive federal funding. This also permitted the state to allocate more resources toward the recovery effort and waived the normal contract and bid process for clean-up efforts. On August 6th, President George W. Bush declared Philadelphia, Delaware and Montgomery Counties disaster areas. This enabled residents and businesses to apply for federal funding. In Lower Merion Township, emergency officials responded to 200 calls for help. Both the Indian and Mill Creeks flooded. Rescuers used boats to help stranded motorists. Two police vehicles were destroyed, one business property was condemned. The R6 SEPTA Regional Rail Line's service was halted for nearly twenty-four hours after a garage was swept onto the train tracks. Some of the worst flooding occurred in the Belmont Hills area where about fifteen homes had more than five feet of water in their basements. In the Gladwyne section along the Narberth Borough border, a bridge to the Rolling Hill Park was washed away. In Narberth Borough, all of the borough's police vehicles were damaged by the flooding. A condominium's garage was totally flooded and damaged all the vehicles and property within it. The Mill Creek flooded within the borough with the heaviest flood damage along Conway, Dudley and Windsor Avenues. In Springfield Township, flooding along the Sunnybrook and Flourtown Creeks led to the closure of seventeen roadways, the evacuation of one home, the buckling of one road and the basement flooding of homes on four blocks in the Oreland section of the township.   In Whitemarsh Township, Manor Run Creek flooded and washed away part of Manor Road. Several people were rescued. Homes along Joshua Road had several feet of water in their basements. In Cheltenham Township, roadways, road  and foot bridges within parks were damaged. In Upper Dublin Township, the Fort Washington Interchange to the Pennsylvania Turnpike was closed after the Sandy Run flooded. In Horsham Township, flooding along Park Creek closed one road. Specific storm totals included 3.30 inches in Springfield Township, 2.28 inches in Hatboro, 1.84 inches in Norristown and 1.44 inches at the Willow Grove NAS.

Flash Flood in MONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA
From 01-AUG-04 06:00:00 to 01-AUG-04 12:00:00 (EST)
Location: SOUTH PORTION
Property damage: 2M
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER