Flash Floods Hit Chicago: Roads Submerged, Rescues Ongoing

Chicago Flood

A powerful and persistent rainstorm battered the Chicago area Tuesday night, prompting a Flash Flood Warning and leaving parts of the city under water.

The warning, which remained in effect until 11:45 p.m., targeted a densely populated stretch that included downtown Chicago and the West Side. Flash flooding was reported along the Eisenhower Expressway through Oak Park as the slow-moving system stalled over the city.

What began as scattered thunderstorms around 8 p.m. quickly escalated into a relentless downpour that caught many residents off guard. Rain fell at a staggering rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour, overwhelming roads, underpasses, and viaducts.

Floodwaters submerged key intersections on the West Side, including Western and Ogden avenues and Ashland Avenue and Kinzie Street, where emergency crews performed multiple water rescues. The Fire Department was seen saving a stranded motorist from the roof of an Audi near the Metra viaduct at Western and Kinzie.

Basement flooding and property damage were also reported as entire neighborhoods, including Homan Square, Douglass Park, and Tri-Taylor, were hit hard. In just 90 minutes, more than 5 inches of rain drenched the area around the United Center, while Douglass Park saw a staggering 6.6 inches.

The Illinois Department of Transportation considered shutting down parts of the Dan Ryan Expressway between 18th and 31st streets due to rising water levels.

Elsewhere in the city, the storms forced the evacuation of a Teddy Swims concert at Huntington Bank Pavilion. Though rain swept through the north lakefront neighborhoods of Lincoln Park, Lakeview, North Center, and Edgewater, severe flooding was largely confined to the West Side.

Authorities urged residents to avoid flooded roads and stay alert for further weather updates.

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