It was yet another soggy morning today in Northwest Indiana. I woke up a little earlier than usual today because I needed to stop by the BMV to get my new plate sticker. It was pouring down rain outside and I was soaked just from running out to the garage. After I pulled out of the garage, I started driving down the alley to get to the street. As I was driving, all of the backyards and the entire pavement of the alley was covered in water. As I got to the end of the road, the alley takes a dip towards the street, and that was where all the water was collecting. I creeped the nose of my car into the water far enough to be able to look for oncoming traffic and while doing that, I realized that the water was about 18 inches high and might flood out my car if I try to drive through it! Well, like a dummy, I went for it. I needed my plate sticker and had to get to work. So I waited....and waited...until an opportunity came for me to dart out. I had to back up my car about 15 feet and then stomp on the gas to make it through. After I got through the mini lake that developed, I was on unflooded ground. My car started sputtering a little bit and I was nervous that it would be flooded out, but thankfully it wasn't.

So I began my trip into work, which is about a 30 mile drive. Of course the expressway was backed up and for those of you who are familiar with I-80/94 and I-294 on the south side, you know that traffic there sucks...even on a dry day! So it took a good hour to get to work.

It's about 5:00pm now and the rain has let up, but now the worries of flooding is making my stomach churn. As I sit at work, I keep checking my local newspapers webpage learning about all the flooding that is going on around my house. Apparently, 6 houses have collapsed!!! The water on the basement walls was too much and the basements of many houses are caving in all together! I've pasted the report from the National Weater Service below...

* AT SOME LOCATIONS AROUND HIGHLAND AND GARY INDIANA THE WATER WAS WAIST DEEP ON MOST PEOPLE. ALONG HART DITCH AT MUNSTER THE RIVER HAS CRESTED AND WILL BEGIN TO FALL. THE LITTLE CALUMET RIVER AT MUNSTER INDIANA WILL CREST AT 15.5 FEET BY MIDNIGHT. SEE THE RIVER WARNING PRODUCT FOR THE LITTLE CALUMET RIVER.

SOME UNOFFICIAL SCHOOL RAIN REPORTS WERE...HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL HAD 5.40 INCHES OF RAIN...AND GARY HIGH SCHOOL HAD 3.81 INCHES OF RAIN. THESE WERE SINCE MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY MORNING.

Below is part of an article posted by NWI Times on 9/13

The downpours that blasted Northwest Indiana this morning left much of northern Lake County under water, stranded motorists and even caused numerous basement walls to collapse.

Highland appeared to be the hardest hit, with firefighters and utility crews called out to numerous addresses where basement walls were giving way and gas leaks were reported. Many of the addresses reported appeared to be within a block or two of Grace Street, both north and south of Ridge Road.  

Well hopefully, my house wont flood or cave in..especially since my entire room and everything I own is in the basement!

KINDA SCARY!!!

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