RUSHFORD, NY - Folks in some parts of Allegany County are still cleaning up Friday, after heavy rain poured down Thursday night. Perhaps the hardest hit area was around Rushford Lake.
Allegany County emergency officials say that northwestern parts of the county got hit the hardest from downpours. 2 On Your Side saw damage in areas around the Town of Rushford, especially on Agett Road where the road was impassable, a huge part of it swept away. Officials say that the current for a stream was so strong that it not only swept away part of the road, but also a large pipe underneath pushing it downstream.
This is one of four roads the county has closed down due to flooding damage.
Rushford's downtown area also flooded.
"It was pretty bad," said Bonnie VanHousen of Allegany County Emergency Services. "People were watching it come down and the streams were overfilled -- the streams were four and a half inches in an hour and a half, two hours."
County officials say nine homes in this area flooded -- that includes Russell Baker's home.
"We're all alright; it's just material stuff," he said.
Flooding destroyed a fence on his property and took away equipment in his shed, like a generator and tools.
"And that's completely gone, that just washed over the bank," Baker said.
He's forced now to pick up the pieces, but he says he does have help.
"Fortunately, we live in a community where I got so much help. I've had so many people down here this morning and already had a guy bring a water heater down," Baker said.
At this hour, county emergency services says all those flooded are back in their homes and that streams and creeks have all receded, leaving behind damage across this area, like boats overturned and docks pushed into backyards.
County officials say that they are tallying up all the damage costs, and if the damage gets to be high enough, the county says that it will consider applying for state assistance for reimbursement.