Flash floods in Washington Crossing, Pa claim 4; multiple missing

Authorities said that at least four people have died and four others were missing after flash floods inundated highways and blocked roads, sparking rescue efforts Saturday evening in the Bucks County area near Washington Crossing Road, reported ABC 6.

Officials noted that two women and one man died in the Washington Crossing area in Upper Makefield Township. However, the identity of the fourth victim was not released.

The Upper Makefield authorities noted that the missing people were a family consisting of two adults, a 2-year-old, and a 9-month-old.

CBS News Philadelphia reported that the water level was about five feet above the ground.

Authorities said multiple marine units were sent out for a search and rescue operation after reports of cars stuck on flooded roadways.

CBS News also reported that between three and a half to four inches of rain fell in the area in about two hours Saturday afternoon, leaving several roads in both Upper and Lower Makefield Township closed.

The Bucks County Coroner's Office said: "There are still some people missing." 

Police said: "They have a long night ahead and plan to release more information."

Newtown Township police said in a post on Facebook that they were assisting the Upper Makefield Township Police Department with the search and rescue operation.

The authorities have also requested citizens to allow emergency personnel to safely perform the operation, with a circular about not traveling through flooded roadways.

Upper Makefield police said on a Facebook update that numerous places in the township have been flooded.

"In Lower Makefield Township, several roads are impassable due to the extreme flooding and will be closed for an extended period of time," officials added.

"There were about five to seven minutes in there when, really, the sky opened up, seeing cars swept away, upside down, and abandoned in the local roadways," said Nick Primola from Yardley.

"I guess it was just fortunate timing because the people who were there probably just 10 minutes before didn't have as much luck. They really didn't have any warning and they were caught up in it," he said.

"I haven't seen anything like this before this quick. I mean this is an area where there are a lot of waterways, so people are used to flooding, but I think that's why it snuck up on these people who were driving," he said.