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The day after

Crews sweep streets, storm damage being evaluated

OBSERVER Photos by Jimmy McCarthy Crews were seen working Monday on Water Street in front of Darwin’s following Sunday’s storm. Debris and mud occupied the street after it was submerged under water.

Crews cleared the debris and mud-filled streets in Fredonia on Monday following Sunday’s storm while Chautauqua County Emergency Services spent the day working to assess damage reported particularly in northern communities.

Along with Fredonia, the villages of Cassadaga and Sinclairville and town of Stockton were among the areas notably hit from the storm. In the south county, the towns of Gerry and Ellery also experienced flooded roads and rescues.

In Fredonia, public works crews spent Monday cleaning and clearing streets including Norton Place and Water Street. Norton Place was closed off as crews swept the mud-laden street. Crews were also busy cleaning an area off Water Street in front of Darwin’s.

Debris pileup on Canadaway Creek under the Water Street bridge caused the flooding, and Fredonia Mayor Athanasia Landis noted that a pier in the middle of the bridge is to blame.

“This problem is happening again and again,” Landis said, adding she’ll be contacting the county and state on the issue.

Fredonia village crews spent Monday clearing and cleaning Norton Place following Sunday’s storm

Landis said several businesses and homes experienced flooding.

According to Emergency Services Director John Griffith, activity concentrated mainly in the northern part of the county. From Ripley and Silver Creek and Sinclairville to Fredonia, Griffith said the work from all local fire departments was excellent.

“It was a tremendous response and a tremendous amount of work to get through it,” he said.

The Chautauqua County Emergency Services Department worked throughout Monday to track the damage sustained to homes and local infrastructure.

“We’re tracking out who might have lost furnaces and hot water tanks,” said Norma Cummings, project coordinator with the Emergency Services Department. “We’re trying to get a situational report so that we can see if we need to bring other resources.”

The debris that piled up on Canadaway Creek under the Water Street bridge.

Griffith said the department will be meeting with highway departments and the county Department of Public Facilities to determine the hardest hit areas and what needs to be done.

“We really won’t know who’s hardest hit until we look at all the assessments,” he said. “We’ll narrow it down and get activity back to where it was.”

Highways and bridges in the north didn’t see any major problems besides shoulder washouts and erosion issues, according to county Department of Public Facilities Director George Spanos.

The Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services is reminding those recovering from floods to take special precautions. Residents who obtain water from a public system should be aware of local announcements regarding water safety. No boil water orders have been issued to date, however.

For those who are in flooded areas and are on a well, the Health Department recommends boiling water for a least one minute before drinking, washing or cooking. Water could contain disease-causing organisms and may not be safe to drink.

Pictured is Canadaway Creek under the Water Street bridge in Fredonia.

The Health Department recommends to disinfecting a well using chlorination or ultraviolet light. Water should be tested for bacteria by the Health Department or a laboratory certified by the state.

The Health Department also says food and items that come in contact with contaminated water should be discarded.

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