Chicago area cleaning up after torrential rain leads to flash floods, shutting down some roads
Flash flooding in Chicago Sunday has some residents continuing to cleanup after torrential rainfall closed roads and parts of the Riverwalk.
Chicago area cleaning up after torrential rain leads to flash floods, shutting down some roads
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Some people are still cleaning up Monday after record rainfall poured for hours Sunday, shutting down roads, stranding drivers and flooding basements.
The torrential rain shut down parts of the Chicago Riverwalk.
Flooded viaducts continued to cause trouble overnight. On the West Side, in the 4600-block of West Roosevelt Road, cars were stranded after trying to make it through with several feet of water still in the roadway.
At one point Sunday at least seven vehicles and their passengers were trapped in a flooded viaduct near I-290 at 5th Avenue and Cicero Avenue.
Katera Fisher had to be towed after her SUV couldn't make it through the rising water.
"I went and my car just started floating, and I said, 'Oh, snap.' So, my first reaction was to try and get out of the car. I opened the door, and the water started flooding my feet," Fisher said.
The Chicago River flooded over its banks, forcing the city to shut down the Riverwalk. The city even reversed the flow of the Chicago River, sending the water out to Lake Michigan to help reduce the flooding.
OEMC said they received 412 calls about water in basements as the clean-up process continues.
There was a Flash Flood Warning and Flood Advisory for Cook County until 6:30 p.m.
There was also a Flood Advisory for DuPage and Lake counties until 5:30 p.m.
DuPage and Will counties also had Flash Flood Warnings in effect until 1:15 p.m. Sunday.
Rainfall totals Sunday:
O'Hare: 3.35 inches
Midway 4.68 inches
Berwyn - 8.96 inches
Cicero - 8.60 inches
Garfield Park - 8/12 inches
Lincoln Park - 7.89 inches
Evanston - 7.09 inches
McKinley Park 6.62 inches
Wheeling- 1.96 inches
Waukegan -.67 inches
Valparaiso - .30 inches
Aurora - 1.54 inches
The mayor's office released a statement reminding people to stay off the flooded roads and asking residents to be mindful of their water use.
"To assist with moving water into the wastewater system, please do not use extra water to shower, do laundry or dishes while experiencing storm conditions. As our climate changes and we see heavier rain events in compressed periods of time, it is difficult for our sewer system to move the water efficiently. While it may present a temporary inconvenience, it is better for water to pool on the street than in residents' basements," the statement said, in part.
Source: WLS-TV
