University of Virginia Library

Flood Waters Recede Leaving Wide-Spread Devastation

By PAT GRANEY

CD/Walter Bardenwerper

The James River Spilled Over Its Banks For The Second Time This Year, Submerging Nearby Low-Lying Fields And Towns

Flood waters are receding
throughout central Virginia as
the swollen James River and
tributaries inundated low-lying
areas of Richmond, blocked
over 500 secondary roads,
knocked out 1,200 telephones
and claimed six lives
throughout the state.

In Emporia Mayor George
F. Lee, the outgoing Virginia
Municipal League president, is
missing and presumed
drowned while looking for
several neighborhood children
whom he had mistakenly
believed were caught in the
flooding Meherrin River
Saturday.

For the second time in four
months, the James River
crested at more than 24 feet

Saturday in south Richmond.
The river crested at 2 p.m.–15
feet above flood stage, but
about three and one half feet
lower than predicted.

In Petersburg, the
Appomattox River overflowed
earlier in the day, knocking out
the city's sewage facilities
submerging the low-lying
streets and businesses in the
worst flood to hit the city in
32 years. The sewage plant is
expected to be inoperable for
at least four more days.

"This is by far the worst
flood to affect Petersburg this
century," the National Weather
Service Bureau said. "It is to be
compounded by its prolonged
duration and flooding will
continue substantially near
existing conditions for several
days even though falling stages
will prevail."

The flood caused by
torrential rains from a
low-pressure system off the
coast began to recede Saturday
when the low-pressure moved
northward. Reports yesterday
indicated that heavy rains were
moving into New England, and
that nearly three inches of
rain had fallen in New York
setting a record for that date.

Richmond's City Manager
William J. Leidinger indicated
that the city had weathered the
storm much better than
tropical storm Agnes in June
which caused $3.4 damage.

Sources indicate that the
flood waters closed up to 500
secondary roads Friday, and at
least 250 were still closed by
Saturday night. The State
Highway Department
estimated about $1.6 damage
to roads and bridges. This is
comparable to $16.2 damage in
June.

"This flood is obviously not
nearly as bad as Agnes. We
received about 12 feet or so less
water than in June and the
merchants and industrial
concerns responded more
quickly than they did to Agnes
in moving their stuff out," Mr.
Leidinger said.

In Front Royal the
Shenandoah River crested
several feet above flood stage
early Saturday. Civil Defense
officials estimated damages at
half a million dollars.

Civil Defense officials in
Richmond, however, said that
they would not be able to
make any estimates about total
damages until today, but they
indicated that the damage
would be far less costly than
during the Agnes flood.

"During Agnes we got
figures from the field that were
so outrageously bloated, we
don't want that to happen this
time by commenting
prematurely," a spokesman
said.

A spokesman for the
Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Co. said that about
1,200 telephones around the
state were out of service
Saturday with about 700 of
those in Richmond. He also
said that most will be restored
to service as the flood waters
recede.

Paul Saunier, Administrator
of the University's Equal
Opportunity Program, and an
auxiliary civil defense pilot,
made a survey flight over some
of the towns upstream
Saturday. With him were a
Charlottesville Civil Defense
Volunteer, a Madison Hall
Volunteer, and a Cavalier Daily
photographer.

The purpose of the flight,
according to Mr. Saunier, was
to examine the damage caused
by recent rains to low-lying
areas surrounding the Rivanna,
James, and Rockfish Rivers.
Many of the communities on
the James were damaged severely
by Hurricane Camille in
1969, and still rebuilding
following Agnes when last
week's rains interceded.

In addition; Mr. Saunier
reported that he was
attempting to formulate
additional guidelines for rescue
techniques in the event of
future devastating floods.