Rainy days bring flood concerns

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

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local/state

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Road crews, businesses and certain residents are preparing for flash flooding as rain from the remnants of Ida is starting to puddle across the Triangle.

ABC11 Eyewitness News Chief Met. Chris Hohmann says the rain will continue to become heavier and more widespread overnight Tuesday into Wednesday as a Flash Flood Watch goes into effect at 1 a.m. and lasts into Thursday afternoon.

Click here to read more about the forecast

People living in apartments on Dana Drive in Raleigh say they fear what comes next.

"Yeah, I'm concerned we have a lot of problems when the flooding happens here," resident Abdoul Rahim Ganour said.

Ganour says he lost his car and furniture to flash flooding in the past.

"The firemen broke the door to get in, because they couldn't find me there. They [thought] somebody was inside," he said.

Firefighters had to rescue two people from the apartments in June, when an inch and a half of rain fell in an hour.

Already Tuesday, a driver spun out of control on the Beltline, ran off the road and got a flat tire.

Body shops say they are bracing for big business knowing more accidents are likely.

Even car dealerships are prepared for the rain. The Southern States Subaru and Volkswagen dealership have already moved most of its inventory to higher ground because it sits alongside Crabtree Creek.

Many of the smaller creeks like Crabtree tend to fill up fast and cause flooding when they get a good soaking.

Officials say flash flooding is nothing to take lightly in the Heart of Carolina. Cars have been swept off roads in the past. Though it may not be bad now, things can change quickly.