Local News
Storm Causes Major Damage in Pike
By Pat Camuso
Aug 13, 2004, 12:15pm

LACKAWAXEN TOWNSHIP, Pa- Cells of ferocious rains embedded within last night’s storm cut a swath of damage through portions of northern and northcentral Pike County. Now residents are dealing with the aftermath.

The Towpath, which skirts along a stretch of Lackawaxen River lying between Kimbles Road and the village of Lackawaxen, was severed when rushing drainage waters undermined the roadway just upstream from the Rowlands Bridge.

The torrent blasted through the road just before spilling into the swollen and debris stained Lackawaxen River – taking a substantial portion of the Towpath with it. Other Towpath damage is being reported in the Kimbles area.

Floodwaters also closed portions of route 590 and Masthope Road where vehicles ran into impenetrable floodwaters and stalled stranding motorists during the height of the torrent.

Although the dam held, docks, canoes and other lakeside recreational materials spilled over the dam on Lake Selma sending the debris onto route 6. Lake Selma is located at the intersection of Greeley Lake Road and is a part of Camp Owego and the Pine Forest Camp system.

One mile further west on 6, the Frankenthal residence was inundated with flood waters.

The Frankenthal Home on route 6 in Lackawaxen Township was flooded when drainage systems failed to handle the flow of water.

Tri State News arrived there this morning to find the owner, Mark Frankenthal, pacing around his waterlogged log home on a cell phone reaching out for help as his housemate still lay in a pickup truck where the couple was forced to spend the night.

Emergencies crews kept the couple from entering the home when they found it seemingly sitting in the middle of a lake.

We arrived after water had rescinded some but we still witnessed a home nearly on an island surrounded by water.

Frankenthal pointed out watermarks inside the home on the walls, “The water was more then a foot high throughout the house,” he said.

“Last night the water was up to our knees inside and out,” said Frankenthal, “ We lost everything.”

Obviously distraught, the man pointed out rooms full of ruined possessions that he found under water when he returned home last evening during the height of the maelstrom.

Frankenthal blames the flooding on a state owned culvert. “It happened before but not this bad,” said Frankenthal explaining that the culvert has failed to handle storm water runoff in the past flooding his property.

Frankenthal said that crews from the state and township were inspecting the culvert pipe early this morning while making it clear that officials have been aware of the problem for some time. “I’ve complained in the past and nothing is done,” Frankenthal said, “Now I’m finished.”

Boats and docks are reported to have spilled onto roadways from Lake Wallenpaupack.

The Delaware River is running 10-verticle feet above normal and is expected to crest at 13-feet. Any additional rains are threatening to close at least portions of the National Park System lands located along the river in Pike County.