Wilkes Barre PA Area Disaster Preparedness

This storymap outline the need for disaster preparedness in the Luzerne County, PA area by citing the area's long history of flooding and recent tornado events. Populations along the Susquehanna River Basin, which includes areas of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, reside in one of the most flood prone areas in the United States. Major floods have occurred about every 15 years and flash floods are a consistent threat. Luzerne County, PA communities have long histories of flood emergencies, as the river bisects the county and tributaries are spread throughout. Based on the existing models and historical data, flood protection and management are already high priorities. However, rapidly changing demographics and unpredictable environmental conditions expose the need for more detailed and constantly evolving models for emergency preparedness and response. A “strong” EF2 tornado struck Wilkes-Barre Township, Pa., around 10 p.m. on June 13, 2018. The twister sheared off structures from near their foundations, carried a store sign for miles and injured six as it carved out a path three-quarters of a mile long.