Heavy rains spark flash flooding, evacuations in Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - Heavy rainfall that sparked flash flooding in Fort Wayne forced motorists to flee submerged cars and prompted the evacuation of about 20 homes in the northeastern Indiana city.

Fort Wayne fire department spokesman Adam O'Connor says firefighters used rafts to remove some elderly residents from low-lying homes on the city's southeast side following Wednesday's deluge.

American Electric Power crews went house to house shutting off power to the area after more than an inch of rain fell, flooding underpasses and other low-lying areas.

The Journal Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/2qZNXFZ ) city residents were being asked to stay out of high water and flooded basements that could pose an electrical shock threat.

Allen County officials say the high waters in the county occurred in areas that don't regularly see flash flooding.

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Information from: The Journal Gazette, http://www.journalgazette.net