PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A fastmoving storm tore through parts of Philadelphia on Saturday, ripping roofing from buildings, flooding streets, and downing hundreds of trees and power lines.
City officials said there were no reported injuries, but the damage left many residents displaced or facing steep financial losses.
In West Philadelphia, fierce winds captured on a neighbor’s home camera showed the moment the storm rolled in. Minutes later, part of the roof of a Philadelphia Housing Authority building had been torn off, scattering rubber roofing material into the street. Officials said 30 residents were displaced and are being provided temporary shelter.
“I thought we got hit by lightning. That was my initial thought, but I’m like, wait, the power’s still on,” said Tyreese Niblack, who lives in the building.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the city’s 911 system received about 3,000 calls during the storm. He urged residents to reserve nonurgent matters for later. “I would ask folks, if you do not need police response tonight, there’s a theft or some other low-level offense that could be dealt with tomorrow, that we take those calls tomorrow,” he said.
In Wynnefield, heavy rain quickly turned streets into rivers. Video taken near 57th Street and Lebanon Avenue showed water beginning to pool just before 3 p.m. Minutes later, several cars were underwater.
“Basically, we stopped for the rain. Before we knew it, in a matter of seconds the car was flooded and underwater,” said Omar Hand.
More than a dozen parked cars were pushed by rushing water, slamming into poles or each other. “I looked outside – my car drifted from there all the way to that side of the pole,” said Ryan Fortson. Another resident, Basil Jubilee, said, “Next thing you know I saw all of our cars over here just come down the block.”
Some residents said the flooding left them without transportation or a way to get to work. “I don’t have no car. I don’t know how I’m gonna get to work for my kids,” said Alexis Butler.
Inside nearby homes, the damage was just as severe. Water filled the first floor of Qiana Futrell’s home. “It was up to my thighs. I lost everything. Literally everything,” she said. “My insurance don’t cover it. I don’t know how I’m gonna recover.”
Her family started a GoFundMe for her.
City leaders visited the damaged housing authority building in West Philadelphia as cleanup crews worked to clear debris. Mayor Cherelle Parker said response teams are addressing incidents based on severity and asked residents for patience.
“How long will it take? It will take, Philadelphia, as long as it needs to take so that the men and women who are hard at work on the streets of Philadelphia doing this work right now – we won’t put that kind of pressure on them in terms of a certain time limit,” Parker said.
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Susan Lawson said crews are prioritizing lifesafety issues. “If there’s a home and someone can’t get out, that’s where we’re going first. If there’s a street, a roadway that’s blocked, that’s the second place that we’re going to,” she said. “If there are trees on the side of your block, that’s not a big issue for us right now. We really are concerned about people’s lives.”
Officials said the city has not issued an emergency declaration, noting they believe current resources are sufficient. They are continuing to assess the damage and may issue a declaration if additional support is needed.
Residents are encouraged to report damage not only to private insurance but also through a city form so officials can document the storm’s impact. “So that we can really quantify the extent of this damage and see if there’s additional recovery resources at the state or other levels,” said Dominick Mireles, director of the Office of Emergency Management.
Cleanup efforts continued into the night as crews worked to clear debris, assist displaced residents, and restore access to damaged streets.
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