NORFOLK, Va. — Heavy rain left many trouble spots on the road in Norfolk on Monday morning.
Flooding left some streets impassible, forcing people to find detours. But for others, it left them at a standstill.
“What was surprising about this one was how fast it happened,” said Clifton Younger.
The Norfolk resident watched as the rain fell and trapped Ross Barrett. Barrett said the water went up to only about half of his tires as he drove under the Colley Avenue Bridge on his way to work. But that was still enough water to stall his Corvette.
“Then the rain hit and the car wouldn’t start, and water was starting to come up all around the car,” he said.
Barrett said he immediately dropped the top of his vehicle to escape.
“Then the rescue squads came and I got in a little boat and they took me up here,” he said.
Barrett said he was nervous watching the water get high when he was in the car. He’s urging others to avoid driving through any water when heavy rain hits the area.
Over by Monticello Avenue, drivers tried to pass by high water. Other vehicles were trapped by it. Joe Nieves, the owner of The High Cup, said the morning rain caused flooding inside his business.
“I took somebody’s order, I looked out and it was already all the way in here and I was like, ‘What in the world!’” Nieves said.
He said water has never come through his shop so fast but he says one tiny mistake is what caused a brief halt in business for him.
“If I push this [door] down all the way, it pretty much keeps water from coming in but I just happened to not close it all the way.”
Nieves is considering buying sandbags just in case more rain brings high water.
