The Morning After

What was left of Hurricane Ivan took a broad swipe at northeastern and central Pennsylvania Saturday and Sunday, but did less damage than was at first feared. The Susquehanna River at Wilkes-Barre crested early Sunday morning at about 35 feet. That`s a good 13 feet above flood stage, but also well below the top of the dike system. For the first time the new "Stop Log" flood walls were installed on both sides of the Market Street Bridge connecting Wilkes-Barre and Kingston. In the end, the water never reached the top of the bridge, but it was a good test for the new system. In Scranton, a 40-foot hole swallowed up part of Pittston Avenue and one car: no one was hurt. Early Sunday morning Montour County authorities will asking for sandbaggers to help shore up a leaking dike in Danville`s 2nd Ward, and several dozen families had been evacuated as a precaution. In Bloomsburg, 300 vendors setting up for this week`s Bloomsburg Fair were asked to evacuate. Elsewhere, homeowners dealt with flooded basements, flooded cars and ruined furniture. But Sunday dawned bright, clear and cold: and the cleanup is underway. Over the next 36 houts local rivers are ex[ected to return to within their banks all over the area.