Suburban authorities warned residents that several streets were submerged in water after a torrential rainfall and to avoid traveling on Wednesday.
The entire Chicago area is under a flood watch through 9 p.m., according to the National Weather Service, with rainfall rates of 1-to-2 inches per hour possible.
While a flood risk is present particularly in low-lying roadways and in parking lots, there is also a potential for flash flooding of creeks, streams and rivers, according to officials. The greatest threat for flash flooding is along and south of I-80, especially in the Kankakee River valley.
Streets were submerged in water after torrential rains across the Chicago area on Wednesday. Randy Gyllenhaal reports.
The Park Forest Police Department said viaducts along Orchard Drive near North Street and Lincoln Highway near Olympian Way were flooded around 4:40 p.m. in a post on social media.
“Please use alternate routes if you must travel. Several vehicles have become completely submerged, and flooded engines have left some roadways impassable due to disabled vehicles,” PFPD said in the post. “We ask everyone to use caution, avoid driving through flooded areas, and never attempt to bypass road closures. Additional updates will be provided as they become available.”
Though Park Forest police said the viaducts along Orchard Drive were passable by 6:20 p.m. in a subsequent update, aerial video from NBC Chicago Sky 5 showed several streets in the suburb were still flooded.
Crews could be seen working to resolve the flooding throughout the suburb.
“While these roadways are now passable, motorists should continue to use caution as standing water and localized flooding may still be present in other areas following today’s heavy rainfall,” PFPD said in the update.
