Detroit Flood Stranded Dozens of Cars in the Road, Prompting Rescue of 50 Drivers

Officials reported up to seven inches of rain poured in portions of Detroit and Wayne County, Mich., stranding hundreds of automobiles on flooded roadways and forcing the rescue of around 50 drivers.

"This isn't usual here," said Michigan State Police spokesperson Lt. Michael Shaw. "Every highway in the county was flooded to some extent."

Flood Damages

Authorities estimated that roughly 350 automobiles had been damaged by the water as of 3 p.m. Saturday. Lieutenant Shaw added, "Some had cable damage, others had water up to the top of their tires, some had it up to their windows, and some were fully submerged." "A lot of people assumed they'd be able to cross the river, but they couldn't." Cars submerged in water and tractor-trailers stuck on freeways were among the images shared on Twitter.

Rare Michigan Flooding

According to the National Weather Service, the last time Southeast Michigan saw flooding was in 2014 when four to six inches of rain fell in four hours. According to Lieutenant Shaw, no injuries were recorded on Saturday, but rescue personnel was called to assist those caught in the flooding. Many basements were flooded, making commuting impossible on Saturday, he said, adding that emergency dispatchers received thousands of calls from Friday to Saturday. Related Article: Storm Watch: Meteorologists Observing 2 Tropical Disturbances in Atlantic, Hurricane in Pacific

"Flooding" Car Care Services

According to Homer Roark, an assistant manager at a Firestone Complete Auto Care in Detroit, the store seldom turns away clients, but they had to turn away 15 on Saturday.

Mr. Roark explained, "We're a maintenance business, not an engine shop, and there are so many things that may be wrong with the automobiles that we had to turn them away today." "I had a lady in for an oil change, and her car was soaked through and through."

Mr. Roark predicted that more individuals would come to the business seeking repairs for automobiles that were likely to be irreparably damaged in the following days.

"When it's this severe, there's really not much we can do," he added.

Government Intervention

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared an emergency in Wayne County, which includes Detroit, on Saturday. The decree offers state resources to local authorities for recovery and rescue activities.

Rain is expected to persist through Friday as part of a wider unsettled weather trend.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared an emergency in Wayne County, which includes Detroit, on Saturday. The decree offers state resources to local authorities for recovery and rescue activities.

Issuing Tornado Watch

A tornado watch was issued for areas of Michigan on Saturday, while the National Weather Service in Chicago recorded many heavy downpours and storms; sporadic thunderstorms and heavy rain were observed in Indianapolis.

According to Ben Gelber of NBC4 in Columbus, Ohio, an unprecedented heat dome is extending into the atmosphere, meaning that when tropical precipitation reaches it, "everything is basically frozen in place."

Mr. Gelber explained, "The simplest way to describe it is a conveyor belt of moisture that interacts with the heat connected with the eastern regions of the country."

"The fact that this weather pattern isn't likely to alter for a few days implies more heavy rain," he continued.

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