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Record-setting rainfall leads to landslides across area

UPDATE 7:24 p.m.

Four trees fell from a Brookline hillside onto a business and nearby cars on Sunday.

The Advanced Auto Parts store on West Liberty Avenue and the vehicles in a neighboring parking lot all sustained damage.

The trees came down as part of a landslide that seemed to have stopped on Saturday, but worsened on Sunday.

"Two days ago, a tree came down in my neighbor's property and hit some cars," said Phyllis Wechsler, who owns the property housing several businesses, including Advanced Auto Parts. "The next day, a tree came down on my property from the hillside and hit my parking lot. This morning, two additional trees came down, one of which hit the Advanced Auto building."

Chad Hardy, who owns West Liberty Beer in the same building, said it wasn't a surprise.

"For the last three days, the trees have been falling down  on the other property, so when I felt it, I knew it was happening," he said. "I knew where it came from. I didn't know exactly where it hit on the building, but I knew it was a tree."

UPDATE 2:44 p.m.

A landslide shut down part of the West End Circle and destroyed a hillside home on Sunday.

The slide on Greenleaf Road first happened on Monday. Residents of the home were ordered to evacuate on Saturday, according to city officials.

WE'RE AT THE SCENE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS WILL AFFECT THOSE RESIDENTS AND TRAFFIC IN THE AREA FOR CHANNEL 11 NEWS AT 6 P.M.

More than 2,300 people in the area are currently without power because of the slide.

Areas without power include Crafton, Greentree, Elliot, Mt. Washington, Sheraden, West End and Westwood.

There are several landslides in the Pittsburgh area.

Crews are monitoring landslides around the area and emergency crews are prepared.

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Rain will taper off Sunday morning, but flooding is still possible, especially near rivers and areas of poor drainage.

So far, 6.97 inches of rain has so far this month, breaking the old monthly record of 6.52 inches set back in 1887.

DUQUESNE HEIGHTS

A landslide on Greenleaf Street in Duquesne Heights has caused the street to close.

Residents of a home were ordered to evacuate, according to city officials.

The Red Cross was notified. Animal control took two dogs from the scene.

As of 7 a.m. Sunday, the road is still closed as workers continue to clean up the area and rid it of several inches of mud and debris.

PHOTOS: See when the rain will fall in your neighborhood (2/23/18)
SQUIRREL HILL

A landslide between Forward Avenue and Commercial Street closed again just after 9 a.m. Saturday.

The road that connects Squirrel Hill to Swisshelm Park has been closed on and off since Friday.

Drivers use the route to bypass the Squirrel Hill Tunnels.

The road remains closed as of 8:00 a.m. Sunday.

WEST ELIZABETH

A landslide shut down a road in West Elizabeth Saturday morning.

According to Allegheny County officials, a large tree came down and brought wires and a transformer onto the roadway in the 3000 block of Scotia Hollow Road.

Scotia Hollow Road has since reopened.

PREVIOUS STORY (2/23/18)

ROSS TOWNSHIP

A large landslide in Ross Township buried several cars and damaged a building.

Pieces of a retaining wall toppled down the hillside on Babcock Boulevard.

"The fire departments have been all notified, the pumps and everything else, our road department, department of public works, as far as the trees and hillside removals. I think we are pretty well prepared," said John Reubi, Ross Township fire marshal.

No one was hurt.

Huge blocks of concrete came down, smashing two trucks. Trees were also uprooted and hit the building.

One truck is for supplies and the other is a food truck. Both were destroyed.

TRENDING NOW:

SPRING HILL

A crack down the middle of Diana Street in Spring Hill has impacted a retaining wall there.

The road is still closed near Ives Way.

SQUIRREL HILL

A landslide between Forward Avenue and Commercial Street closed the area for a while, but it's back open now.

Still, crews are watching a nearby retaining wall.

WEST END

A landslide just to the west of the West End Bridge partially closed Greenleaf Road.

A number of landslides occurred throughout the city of Pittsburgh over the last week, forcing road closures and home evacuations. More landslides are possible throughout the weekend.

Officials with the city of Pittsburgh said The Department of Public Safety has designated the Fire Bureau to be first responders to reports of landslides, which will then be evaluated by the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections if homes are impacted.

 

Cox Media Group

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