COVINGTON

Girl took videos of water raging down Covington street: 'I would have gotten sucked under'

Chris Mayhew
Cincinnati Enquirer

Payton Claxton said she wasn't scared as water raged knee-level down a street past her family's Covington home early Sunday morning.

The 16-year-old took video as her younger brother watched. She knew not to get too close.

“If I would have stepped in that like when it got worse, I would have gotten sucked under," Claxton said.

Park Hills, directly above Lewis Street, saw 5.02 inches of rainfall Sunday according to the National Weather Service. The storms damaged multiple roads in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Lewis Street was reopened, but other roads remain closed.

Covington, Kentucky, JUNE 17, 2019: Paxton Clayton stands at the intersection of Western Avenue looking down Lewis Street in Covington where knee-high storm water gushed down Lewis Street around 2 a.m. Sunday.

Water backed up into her family's basement on the corner of Western Avenue and Lewis Street where she took the video.

"It was all on the sidewalks. You couldn’t walk on the sidewalk,” Claxton said.

The rain had poured off and on late Saturday night, she said. Claxton woke up to see the water raging after the heaviest downpour at about 2 a.m. Water was several inches deep on Western Avenue as well at the intersection of Lewis Street.

Storms turned Lewis Street into a gushing river around 2 a.m. June 16 in Covington.

The water stayed high at the bottom of Lewis Street where it intersects with Baker Street for about an hour. Firefighters cleared drains in that hour, she said.

More from Lewis Street:Flooding in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky: Landslides, road closed from rain

Not over yet:Cincinnati rain: Flood warnings continue. More storms on way after weekend deluge

Many people along Lewis Street had water in their basements, Paxton said. The Paxton home had a layer of mud on the basement floor afterward, she said.

Further up Lewis Street, workers at SI Enterprises were cleaning out their new Lewis Street facility Monday morning. Mud was everywhere.

Sharon Ionna of Independence cleans out her business, SI Enterprises, on Lewis Street after several feet of water filled the workspace over the weekend. Ionna and her husband just moved their business into the building two months ago.

Runoff that makes it hard for cars to drive on Lewis Street is not uncommon, Claxton said. This was different, she said.

“We have never seen anything like it and we’ve lived here for 12 years,” she said.

What's the difference? Areal flooding vs. flash flooding

Cameron Knight contributed to this report.