Heavy rainfall causes flooding throughout Topeka

Many streets in Topeka experienced flooding Thursday after some areas saw over 5 inches of rain drench the capital city.

Several streets in the city became impassable as the rain fell and cars became stuck. Emergency alerts sent out in the midst of the rain advised residents to stay home.

According to Brandon Drake, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Topeka office, heavy rain began falling about 10 a.m. Thursday at a rate of about 2 to 3 inches per hour.

That resulted in reports of 5.2 inches of rain in some areas, Drake said.

Drake said after consulting with emergency management, the weather office believes the last time the Topeka area saw flooding to this extent was in May 2007.

As the weather system pushes to the east and a second moves in from the north, Drake said, residents could potentially see an additional inch of rain before the end of the day Thursday.

Topekan David Tiffany decided to make the most of a bad situation and use the flooding as an opportunity to get some exercise and kayak.

Tiffany, who lives near S.W. 24th Street and MacVicar Avenue, said the last time he experienced flooding to this extent was about 12 years ago.

“It was worse than this,” Tiffany said. “A lot worse.”

It was a different story for Rita Craig one block away at S.W. 24th and Plass Avenue.

Craig was headed east on S.W. 24th Street toward S.W. Jewell Avenue when she entered into a flooded area.

“It was water just clear up to the floorboard before I knew it,” Craig said.

The Topeka Fire Department rescued Craig from her vehicle and she could be seen standing in the grass with a life jacket on.

According to the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center, 14 calls for rescue and traffic hazards had been made as of 1 p.m. Thursday.

Those calls included the areas of S.W. 12th Terrace and Belle Avenue, 3300 block of S.W. Huntoon Street, 3400 block of S.W. Gage Boulevard, 1100 block of S.W Fairlawn Road and S.W. 45th Street and Topeka Boulevard.

The Shunganunga Creek also experienced significant flooding Thursday with water overflowing the banks at Crestview Park.

S.W. Shunga Drive between S.W. James Street and S.W. Gage Boulevard was closed as of Thursday afternoon because of flooding.

Shawnee County Emergency Management advised residents in the Shunga Creek area they should prepare to move to a safer area in the event the creek continued to rise.

City of Topeka spokeswoman Molly Hadfield said in a news release Thursday those experiencing temporary, localized flooding and who notice any potential issues or obstructions in the stormwater system should call 785-368-3111 or use the See Click Fix app.

Hadfield said that while the storm system is working properly, high amounts of rain can overwhelm it and cause areas to temporarily flood.

“The utilities department has crews that go out daily to inspect, clear and clear stormwater inlets, sewers and ditches to ensure functionality,” Hadfield said. “The infrastructure in the areas that had localized flooding are currently being inspected to ensure that there are not any obstructions. With that being said, the stormwater system performed as it was designed to.”