What we know about fatal flash flooding in Upper Makefield that claimed five lives
UPPER MAKEFIELD - The death toll in Saturday's flash flooding in Upper Makefield is now at five with search efforts continuing to locate two missing children, 2-year-old Mattie Sheils and brother Connor, 9 months, who were swept out of family members' arms on Saturday.
Two more victims, both women, including Sheils' mother, Katie Seley were found Sunday within 100 yards of each other one mile south of Taylorsville Road in Houghs Creek. Three other victims were recovered Saturday evening from the creek.
More: Five drowning victims identified in Upper Makefield. Search for Mattie and Conrad. continues
The Sheilses and Seley are from Charleston, South Carolina, visiting family and friends in the area. The family was driving to a barbecue at a family member's home when their vehicle was overcome in the fast-rising waters along Washington Crossing Road, officials said.
Seley's fiance James Sheils and son Jack, 4, managed to escape the floods, but Seley, who was holding onto the infant son and her mother, who had ahold of Mattie, were swallowed by the creek waters. The grandmother survived, Bucks County Coroner Meredith Buck confirmed Sunday night.
Upper Makefield Fire Chief Tim Brewer said search and rescue efforts would continue Sunday night and Monday with officials pledging to keep going until the children are found.
Where was the flooding worst in Upper Makefield
The worse flooding occurred along the 100 block of Washington Crossing Road near Stonebridge Crossing Road between Aqueduct Road and Wrightstown Road where roughly a dozen vehicles were swept away. Manned road blocks remain in place throughout Upper Makefield into Sunday evening.
Approximately 150 rescuers, including marine rescue units, from across the region searched for people from the Delaware River to the flood site along Washington Crossing and Taylorsville roads. Rescue crews saved eight people from cars and two from the creek. On Sunday, 100 people were assisting with search operations.
“Search and rescue are physically walking the creek banks where accessible,” Brewer said. “This is a very inaccessible area to the township. There are steep cliffs on both sides and in some areas, there is no direct access to the creek … so we are physically walking.”
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More: Are roads closed because of the Delaware River flooding in Bucks County? Here's the latest
What is Houghs Creek?
Houghs Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River. Two unnamed streams flow into Houghs Creek, which is entirely in Upper Makefield Township. It begins in the southwestern part of the township near the intersection of Eagle and Wrightstown roads and flows east through the township.
The stream passes through several neighborhoods and under bridges at Highland Road, Washington Crossing Road, and Taylorsville Road, then it reaches the Delaware River.
When was the last time this area experienced flooding?
This weekend’s fatal storms are just the latest to have taken lives and caused property damage.
Just last week, a half-foot of rain fell on Durham Township and Quakertown, leading to mass power outages.
During that storm, Bucks County received 67 reports of road hazards from downed trees, electrical wires, or other debris on the highway. Fire crews also had to pump water out of six flooded basements in Quakertown.
Several other disastrous storms have hit Bucks County in recent years.
The remnants of hurricane Ian struck in September 2022, causing damage along most of the eastern seaboard, including Pennsylvania.
In 2021, four tornadoes associated with Hurricane Ida ripped through the region. The worst of which, an EF2, started in Upper Dublin and made its way through areas of Horsham, knocking down trees and power lines and damaging homes in the process.
A woman in Upper Dublin died when a tree fell on her home.
According to the National Weather Service, an EF2 tornado is classed as a strong storm with winds that can cause significant property damage.
More: Fatal floods: Who does water rescues in Bucks County?
Where in Bucks County did the Delaware River flood Saturday?
Saturday's torrential downpours focused tightly on the corridor between Newtown and New Hope and as far west as Jamison and continued into Mercer County, New Jersey, National Weather Service meteorologist Eric Hoeflich said.
The ground, already saturated from recent rains, could not take the deluge leading to overrunning of normally small creeks, Hoeflich said.
As of Sunday morning, Taylorsville Road from Route 532 to Route 295 is closed, River Road by Francisco’s restaurant is closed, and River Road between Route 532 and Mt. Eyre Road is closed. Many roads also were blocked by debris such as downed trees.
“We are treating this as a rescue, but we are fairly certain we are in a recovery mode at this time,” Brewer said.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Five dead, two children missing in Bucks County flash flooding
