Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 15, 1990 TAG: 9007150266
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: E1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The National Weather Service had placed a flash flood warning in effect for Roanoke, Patrick, Floyd, and Montgomery counties and the ity of Salem until 10:45 p.m. A flash flood watch was in effect until 4 a.m. today.
Today's forecast called for partial sunshine with 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Bedford County and Franklin County dispatchers both reported some flooding.
The Bedford County dispatcher said small streams were out of their banks near Stewartsville, but no roads were completely blocked as of 11 p.m.
A Franklin County dispatcher would not specify where flooding was occuring there.
A state police dispatcher said water was reportedly spilling out on U.S. 220 south of Rocky Mount near Virginia 619.
Water was also reported on U.S. 220 at Bassett Forks north of Martinsville and traffic was being rerouted.
Montgomery County dispatchers reported that water was starting to overtake some low-lying bridges.
"It's getting close," a dispatcher said.
In Floyd County almost a foot of water made Virginia 648 impassable, and a fallen tree blocked traffic on Virginia 612. A culvert overflowed with water and blocked Virginia 709 and Virginia 807 was blocked near U.S. 8.
"We've gotten several phone calls on fallen trees," said Floyd County dispatcher Debbie Vest about 8 p.m. "It's storming here pretty good."
By midnight, the rain had subsided in the county.
Roanoke dispatchers reported only oft-flooded Wiley Drive closed because of the rain. A Roanoke County dispatcher said Bennington Street and Harborwood Road were closed because of high water.
The rain Saturday and earlier in the week came when the area was beginning to show concern over dry conditions that prevailed in June and early July. June's rainfall was less than an inch, and the first 10 days of July saw only .73 inches fall.
A Grayson County dispatcher reported that some streams were getting swollen after several days of rainfall. The weather service said some parts of the region have received more than 5 inches of rain in the past two days.
A thunderstorm was rumbling through the Roanoke area about 5 p.m., but police dispatchers reported no major flooding in the city. Several people were stranded in a car when they ventured out on a low-lying bridge on Wiley Drive, but were quickly rescued, dispatchers said.
Appalachian Power Co said about 200 customers were without electricity at various time Saturday evening.
Outages were reported on Melrose Avenue, Peters Creek Road, Ross Lane and Keithwood Drive in Roanoke and Harborwood Road in Salem. Charles Echols, administrative assistant for Apco, said power had been restored by 10 p.m.
City firefighters responded to a call of smoke showing near the 900 block of Campbell Avenue Southwest. It was determined the smoke was coming from police flares surrounding flooding there.
by CNB