The Schuylkill River inundated parts of Manayunk, and Lincoln, Kelly, and Martin Luther King drives by early Sunday morning

On Sunday Greater Philadelphia woke up to find damaged trees, spotty power, and cresting waterways left behind by Hurricane Irene. The Schuylkill River inundated parts of Manayunk, and Lincoln, Kelly, and Martin Luther King drives by early Sunday morning.

At 2 p.m. the river crested, rising to a level of 13.56 feet; enough to flood low-lying areas but mercifully short of the 15 feet that was predicted.

Yesterday Philadelphians gathered along Center City’s river crossings to survey the storm’s aftermath, and watched the Schuylkill’s muddy water rush past carrying debris. Schuylkill Banks was almost entirely submerged: There were stairs to nowhere, sunken benches, and street lamps poking out of the water.

At the new Penn Park, landforms held pools of stormwater.

Today the lowest points of Schuylkill Banks are still underwater but people are back walking and riding bikes along the river.

Today it’s the Delaware River’s turn to crest. The National Weather Service in Mount Holly issued a Coastal Flooding Advisory for the Delaware River through 5 p.m.,  coinciding with high tide.


Contact the reporter at ahahn@planphilly.com

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