Today marks the 49th anniversary of the 1977 Johnstown Flood that hit a large area of Western Pennsylvania.
The flooding started in the nighttime hours of July 19th, where nearly a foot of rain fell in a 24-hour time span as a strong thunderstorm stalled over the region. Six dams in the area failed and were overtopped, with the largest being Laurel Run Dam as it released 101 million gallons of water. Another 27 million gallons were spilled by the other five dams combined.
The flood affected an eight-county, 136-community area, and resulted in 76 deaths. In Indiana County, Homer City’s infrastructure was disrupted when a steel bridge carrying Route 56 over Two Lick Creek was swept away. Bodies that were washed down the Conemaugh River from Cambria County were recovered in Blairsville. There were also evacuations and destruction reported in the Black Lick Creek area, including Clymer, Dilltown, Robindale and Robinson. In Clymer, a department store’s windows and merchandise were destroyed by flood waters.
The flood caused an estimated $117 million in damages in Johnstown alone. Another $213 million in damage was reported in the surrounding area. It was responsible for 83 deaths.
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