‘Several water rescues’ underway as Petersburg hit with flash floods

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- Petersburg is experiencing flash flooding throughout the city Monday night, with the National Weather Service (NWS) saying "several water rescues" are underway.

As about 10:50 p.m. on Monday, July 14, multiple locations in Petersburg are flooding and "several water rescues" are actively being carried out by first responders, per the NWS. These rescues are happening in the areas of Defense Road and Bollingbrook Street, as well as Bank Street.

No additional information on the nature of these water rescues or exactly how many are in progress is available as of the time of reporting.

As of 11:20 p.m., the NWS reported that some Petersburg backyards have accumulated up to 18 inches of water in the area of Stuart Avenue.

Chesterfield homeowners worry about flooding as more rain approaches

At about 10:45 p.m. Monday, the Petersburg Bureau of Police said that the following roadways are closed due to high water:

• Boilingbrook Street
• Bank Street
• Wythe Street at the underpass
• 1400 block of W. Washington Street at McKinney Street near the train trussel
• Holly Hill at Crater Road
• Defense Road at Wilcox Lake near the Boathouse
• Baylors Lane at underpass for Interstate 85

These closures are in addition to ones previously shared by the agency on Sunday, July 13, which include:

• 500 block of Hinton Street
• Defense Road at the underpass
• E. Wythe St at Jefferson St, where the traffic light is also out
• E. Wythe St and Interstate 95
• W. Wythe/Market Street
• River St under the MLK Bridge
• Joseph Jenkin
• E. Bank/Washington St
• Puddle Dock/E. Washington Street
• County and Wagner drives, where the traffic light is also out

PREVIOUS: Petersburg roadways closed due to Sunday’s severe floods

Additionally, a late-night crash into a power pole knocked out power for those along S. Crater Road. Police emphasized that the best thing to do during this severe storm is to avoid getting behind the wheel.

"Please, we are encouraging everyone to stay off of the roads during this weather event unless an emergency," police said.

If you have to drive, remember: "Turn around, don't drown." No matter how shallow floodwaters look, they are never safe to drive into.

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