All Residents In Park Towne Place Towers Evacuated Due To Dangerous Conditions From Extreme Flooding Of Schuylkill River

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Residents in all four Park Towne Place towers in Center City are being evacuated due to flooding. The apartment buildings are located along 22nd Street and the Parkway, right behind the Schuylkill River.

CBS3 found people leaving with suitcases, pet carriers and more.

Neighbors say the parking lot is completely submerged in floodwater.

The National Guard and other first responders are helping people get to safety. Nearby at 22nd and Race Streets several vehicles were observed fully submerged underwater.

One of the main arteries in Philadelphia is also underwater. The Vine Street Expressway onramp from 22nd Street, near the Park Towne Place Apartments, now leads to a river of floodwater.

Road signs that normally direct traffic are almost completely underwater on the expressway. The area between the top of the water level and the bottom of the 21st Street bridge only have a few feet between them.

"This is historical, there's no question," Councilwoman Helen Gym said.

City officials say the flooding of the Vine Street Expressway is largely because a major pumping station failed. So water was not being properly pumped out of the area.

Debris from trees may have also clogged some of the drains.

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• Storm Damage
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• Flooding
• Philadelphia