Flash flooding this afternoon has caused several cars to become trapped in high water, and Owensboro Fire Department has been responding to calls across the county.
A tree fell on a house on Cottage Drive, and the homeowner said there was “extensive damage” and that the garage was a total loss.
Several roads are either impassable or are blocked off. There have been multiple minor accidents, and manhole covers came off in multiple locations.
911 was inundated with City street flooding calls during the heavy rainfall, according to Daviess County Emergency Management Agency Director Andy Ball.
Vehicles have reportedly been stranded on: Woodlawn Avenue, South Griffith Avenue, and Breckinridge Street, among others. One car also reportedly went off the bypass and into the ditch.
Due to the number of calls, locations for every incident were not immediately available.
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OFD recommended residents avoid the roads for the next half hour or so. Ball said drivers should slow down, seek higher ground, and never drive through flooded roads.
Ball said they are also having trouble with big trucks going through streets too fast and pushing water up to houses, which could cause water and mold damage
Battalion Chief Steve Leonard said the water will recede quickly with flash flooding incidents such as this, but the water can absolutely get high enough to “drown your car” and have you become stuck.
Leonard said drivers should either take alternate routes or avoid driving at all for a short while.
“Because the roads are unpredictable right now, if you see any water on the street, don’t cross that,” he said. “The real problem is, you might drive through the water fine, but if the car in front of you gets stuck, then you could get stuck too.”
