Floodwater rushes ‘like Niagara Falls' through yard, toppling retaining wall

PITTSBURGH — Floodwater rushed through a man’s yard in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood Wednesday night, knocking over a retaining wall and destroying plants in its path.

The water rushed down from Phillips Park and past homeowner Jeff Porro’s fence before reaching the retaining wall, toppling cinder blocks.

I was worried about that coming and hitting the windows," Porro said. “It went over here like Niagara Falls from this side then to that side, then all around the house."

RELATED STORY: Councilman says recurring flooding issue on Route 51 needs addressed

The collapsed wall missed Porro’s Yale Drive home by just a few inches. The fence also came down.

"I’m waiting for my homeowner;s insurance to come here and survey the damage, and probably Saturday I’ll start putting walls back together," he said.

Porro said the problem originated up the hill because the storm drains were not clear, and his frustration with the city is clear.

"They’re going to tell me it’s Mother Nature, but I’m gonna tell you it’s negligence. Because they should have cleaned that sewer up," he said. "Help me. That’s all I got to say. City of Pittsburgh, help me."

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