8th July 2019

Flash flooding in DC turns roads into rivers

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By NY Post

NY Post - A slow-churning, torrential rainstorm soaked the nation’s capital Monday, knocking out power to thousands and prompting dozens of water rescues across Washington and northern Virginia.

The National Weather Service lifted flash flood warnings for the greater DC metro area about 1 p.m., but not before Reagan National Airport was drenched with a half-inch of rain in just 11 minutes, WTOP reported.

In all, the airport was slammed with about 3.4 inches of rain in a two-hour span, while roughly 6.3 inches fell on Frederick, Maryland, and about 4.5 inches in Arlington, Virginia.

In Washington, the deluge was so powerful that more than a dozen motorists were stranded on top of their cars along Canal Road near Arizona Avenue, the Washington Post reported.

Several other people were also rescued from vehicles in other parts of the city, the newspaper reported.

No one was hospitalized following the rescues and no injuries were reported, a DC Fire spokesman told the newspaper.

The severe weather caused Amtrak to suspend trains south of Washington just after 10 a.m. Trains “gradually” started moving again about 11:40 a.m. after one track was cleared, transit officials said.

In Maryland, fire officials said they responded to more than 30 flooding calls and eight water rescues early Monday, but no one was hurt.

The storm knocked out power to about 8,000 customers as of midday, the Washington Post reported.

With Post wires

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