The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is scheduled to reopen Sunday after closing Saturday due to storm damage.
Friday night’s storms resulted in downed tree limbs and mud in the zoo’s pathways, a zoo spokesman said, leading to the closure as crews cleaned the property for Sunday.
The zoo said no animals were injured during the storm, which caused flooding and damage throughout the region Friday.
In Westmoreland County, the American Red Cross was continuing to support communities impacted by flash flooding Friday night.
The Red Cross said in a release Saturday that Westmoreland County officials had requested assistance about 10 p.m. Friday.
A disaster action team from the Red Cross’ Chestnut Ridge chapter established a temporary shelter at the Lloydsville Volunteer Fire Department in Latrobe for residents evacuated from about 50 homes.
The majority of the evacuated residents secured overnight accommodations elsewhere, while eight families were provided with assistance to secure hotel room, the Red Cross said.
On Saturday, Red Cross teams were in Unity Township and the Dorothy Patch community to gauge the full impact of the flooding and help local and county officials determine what further help is needed in the area.
An overnight emergency shelter for displaced residents has been established on Pitt-Greensburg campus. Building A-1 on 504 University Court, Greensburg opened at 9 p.m. Saturday and will be staffed around the clock by the American Red Cross.
Free services include a place to sleep, connection to local resources, meals and snacks and help with recovery planning. Pets are also welcome.
Red Cross spokesperson Lisa Landis said their team has been assessing the areas and finding more families in need than they’d initially helped Friday.
“It’s expected that in the days to come there will be a significant number of residents in need of assistance,” Ms. Landis said.
Any Westmoreland County resident in need of Red Cross assistance due to flooding or storm damage should call 1-800-733-2767.
First Published: August 6, 2022, 8:20 p.m.
Updated: August 7, 2022, 3:11 a.m.
