Flash Flood in Vanderburgh County, Indiana

Major flash flooding inundated sections of Evansville. A total of 248 occupied structures were affected. Of those 248, fifteen were single family homes that sustained major damage, 141 were structures that received minor damage, and 92 others were affected in some way. The totals include three businesses and 40 to 50 apartments. A school cafeteria was flooded with an inch or two of water. The basement wall of a residence collapsed. Thirteen families were displaced, and at least four of those families were placed in hotels by the Red Cross. Over 30 water rescues were conducted from cars stalled in flooded streets. Six persons were rescued from a stranded school bus. The occupants of four flooded residences were rescued by firefighters. Long-time residents reported this was the worst flood in memory. Many roads were barricaded and closed. Persistent and repeated drainage problems on the southeast side of Evansville prompted complaints from area residents. A target completion date for the Southeast Evansville Drainage Project is early 2007. The flash flooding occurred when lines of thunderstorms moved through the city during the mid and late afternoon hours. These lines of storms occurred as a cold front stalled just west of the area. Based on radar estimates, about one inch of rain fell within 20 minutes of the onset of heavy rain. Flooding occurred within 30 minutes of the onset of heavy rain. The extreme rainfall was very localized. A total rainfall measurement of 4.87 inches was received from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network just east-southeast of Evansville. In northern and central parts of Vanderburgh County, measurements from the same network were only about one inch.