Mother identified among five killed in Pennsylvania flooding as search continues for her two missing children
Katie Seley, 32, died in flash flooding in Bucks County, while two of her three children remain missing
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Your support makes all the difference.A mother who was among five killed in flash flooding in Pennsylvania has been identified, as the search continues for her two-year-old daughter and nine-month-old baby son.
Katie Seley, a 32-year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, was driving with family to a barbecue in Bucks County on Saturday when their car were caught in rising waters from the Delaware River.
Seley’s fiance Jim Sheils “miraculously” pulled the couple’s four-year-old son to safety, while Seley and their two younger children Mattie, two, and nine-month-old Conrad, were swept away, the Upper Makefield Township Police Department said in a statement.
Seley’s mother was also swept away, but managed to survive and was treated in hospital, police said.
Mr Sheils thanked the public for their “prayers and support” and emergency services personnel involved in the ongoing search effort, according to police.
”We cannot even begin to imagine what the family is going through with two beautiful children gone,” Fire Chief Tim Brewer said during a Sunday press conference.
“We ask once again for all those affected by this tragedy for your thoughts and prayers, and please hug your loved ones a little bit sooner than later.”
Police released touching family photos with Mr Shiel’s permission, and said their sole focus remained on finding the missing children.
“Our commitment to finding the two children will still be unwavering as we do all we can to bring them home to their loved ones,” Chief Brewer said on Sunday.
The flooding struck suddenly at around 5.30pm on Saturday when torrential rain hit the Washington Crossing area of Makefield Township, authorities said.
Bucks County was hit seven inches of rain in just 45 minutes, Chief Brewer told reporters on Sunday.
“In my 44 years, I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “When the water came up, it came up very swiftly. We do not think that anybody drove into it, that they were actively on that road when it happened.”
Chief Brewer said that there were 11 vehicles on the road when the water level on it rose to around five feet and three cars were swept away.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Senator John Fetterman toured the worst affected areas on Sunday.
The identities of the four other victims have not yet been released.
Parts of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey were hit with flash flooding for the second time in a week over the weekend.
Thunderstorms led to hundreds of flight cancellations in New York, and hundreds more experienced delays.
A tornado touched down on Sunday morning in North Brookfield, Massachusetts, but no injuries or major property damage were reported, the Associated Press reported.
Heavy rain postponed Sunday’s NASCAR race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeig toured flood-affected parts of Vermont with Governor Phil Scott on Monday.
In a tweet, Mr Buttigeig said he had met with first responders and received updates from officials on what help was needed for reconstruction.
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