KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — The City of Kalamazoo has closed some major commuter routes because of flooding this morning. Crosstown Parkway between Park Street and Portage Street is impassable.
Park Street between Crosstown Parkway and Vine Street is flooded and Vine Street between Jasper and Portage Street has been blocked off.
Motorists are being directed to find alternate routes. Authorities warn drivers not to go around barriers.
Engines in most cars take in their oxygen from vents that are a little more than a foot off the ground. If your engine takes in a lot of water while its running, it will be very expensive to fix.
An average of about four inches of rain fell overnight in the area with variations from place to place.
The highest rain total was over 6-1/2 inches of rain falling near Cassopolis. It was closer to three inches in Kalamazoo.
ORIGINAL STORY
UNDATED (WKZO-AM) — The Michigan State Police office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service are warning people who live in low-lying areas and near creeks, rivers and streams of possible flash flooding due to predictions of heavy rains of up to five inches overnight.
They say the ground is saturated because of rain over the past week and that is making the problem worse. The storm is the remnant of a more-powerful system that caused devastating flooding in Louisiana over the weekend.
That could mean basement flooding. It could also mean street flooding and it could mean creeks and rivers could quickly overflow. People who live in low-lying areas along creeks and rivers may be most susceptible to flash flooding.
Meterologist Evan Webb said there are predictions of drenching rains overnight and that means some basements may be threatened. They say people may want to check their sump pumps and get valuables off the floor.
Ron Leix With the Michigan State Police Office of Emergency Management says it also means streets could flood. He says avoid streets with standing water because you may not know how deep it is and you could easily ruin your engine.
The risk could continue through tomorrow afternoon along lakes and streams as the water works its way out of the system.
