Heavy rain leaves Elmhurst streets, buildings flooded

ELMHURST, Ill. — A sudden downpour hit Elmhurst Sunday afternoon, unleashing sudden flooding that disrupted roads and daily routines.

Evie, an Elmhurst resident, drove through intense rain on her way to her Sunday shift at the Gia Mia. But the storm didn’t stop when she parked, it only intensified.

“I got in at about 4. It was raining pretty bad. Wind was strong, visibility low,” she said.

The western suburb was hit by a heavy downpour that made driving challenging.

“Lightning struck right outside here, and this drain was bubbling up,” Evie said. “Our sidewalks, there was tons of water. Water out on the streets, by the curb.”

Most of the water has now dried up but standing water still remains at the underpass near Palmer Drive and 1^st Street.

Brian Tong, who lives near the bridge, says water entered his apartment building and parking garage for the first time ever.

He says people were tubing in the floodwaters, adding a strange sense of humor to the otherwise serious situation.

“Kind of funny, people making light of the situation but it’s insane the height of the water,” he said.

The city of Elmhurst says staff have been working to resolve issues caused by street flooding and advise anyone still experiencing problems to use the Elmhurst Connect app to report them.