Intense rain leaves streets underwater in Niles, Morton Grove
NILES, Ill. (CBS) -- The severe storms Thursday night brought heavy flooding to many northern suburbs.
Several rounds of downpours left neighborhoods in Niles and Morton Grove underwater.
For one example, at Lee Street and Oriole Avenue, Niles public works crews worked Friday night to unclog a storm drain that left the street flooded and blocked off for much of the night.
There was also hail so intense that drivers rushed to find refuge. Several cars tried to get under the awning at a Marathon gas station to prevent any damage to their cars.
"It was raining from the beginning, but we heard the hood, like, you know, rocks falling on it – and you look up, you thought it was going to fall apart," said gas station owner Barra Zabadneh. "So we looked outside and we see hail coming like crazy. We look at the cars, we look outside, we see like all the cars pulling up to the parking lot – like 15 cars in this parking lot over here."
Meanwhile, the heavy rain pooled up on many residential streets and left them flooded. At Main Street and Ozark Avenue in Niles, cars plowed through the deep water – even though residents said the water was so high that they couldn't leave their homes.
The parking lot of the Niles Portillo's was also left completely underwater.
"It's a swimming pool over here. I mean, we've got the corner lot – so water on one side, water on the other - and thankfully, but we've had issues in the past," said Sofia Stefanis, who lives on a flooded street. "We put a pizza in the oven instead of carryout, because no one's delivering."
"I've got lakefront property for sale if you want to buy it," said David Davis of the well-inland suburb of Niles.
As of 10 p.m., the public works department was wrapping up at Lee Street and Oriole Avenue, but there was more work to be done. Meanwhile, some families were left to clean up flooded basements.