Heavy Rain Causing Some Flooded Basements And Streets In Chicago
CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio) -- The soggy weather over the past 24 hours has caused some headaches for a lot of Chicagoans, from flooded basements to standing water in the streets.
The city's Department of Water Management reported flooded basements across the city, but not an excessive number considering the combination of all the rain and the melted snow.
"The entire city is getting clobbered pretty evenly throughout at this point by the rain. It doesn't seem to be picking on any one particular section at the moment," Water Department spokesman Gary Litherland said.
Anyone who does have a flooded basement or notices standing water on the street should call 311 to report the issue.
One problem crews were facing Tuesday was catch basins clogged with debris, hindering drainage and flooding some streets. He urged city residents to clear any clogged basins near their homes.
"If they have a rake, if they could just simply help clear the catch basins out in the street of leaves and any other debris that may be collecting from the winter, it would be very helpful. It will help alleviate the street flooding," he said.
Then there's the big plunge in temperatures.
"If the water doesn't drain out in time, and it freezes, we're going to have a lot of slick pavement," he said.
Divers shouldn't park on a street with standing water, or they could find their vehicle frozen in place in the morning after temperatures drop overnight, according to Litherland.
