COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. — Colonial Heights resident Kevin Ferris watched in disbelief Sunday as water quickly began rising outside his home, flooding his property in a matter of minutes.
"You're seeing the water overflowing from the creek into the front of my property," Ferris said as he watched a recording of the rapidly rising water.
"I was getting ready to go to the store, I thought I have a few minutes and I came out of my house a quarter after two and the water was overflowing the creek into my front yard. By that time, I knew I couldn't go anywhere," Ferris said.
Ferris and many of his neighbors along Fairfax Avenue captured water levels reaching close to their knees, with floodwaters even filling a neighbor's car.
"It was the first time I've been concerned about actual flooding in my house," said one neighbor who wished to remain anonymous.
The Colonial Heights residents weren't alone. Sunday afternoon storms unleashed torrential downpours that triggered flash flood warnings in Petersburg, Prince George, and Chesterfield Counties. Petersburg Fire and Rescue responded to numerous calls, including vehicles trapped under water.
"If it's raining 3, 4, 5 days a week and you've got buckets and buckets of rain, there's nowhere for the water to go," Ferris said.
Watch: Why are we getting so much rain? Zach Daniel explains.
With more rain expected this week, officials warn that swollen creeks and backed up storm drains could continue to flood low-lying areas, even those not typically prone to flooding.
"It doesn't take much rain, let alone heavy rainfall to cause those really localized impacts," said Steven Pyle, who leads the Virginia Department of Emergency Management's Flood Intelligence Unit.
Pyle's team works closely with state and local partners to monitor the Commonwealth's 161 rain and water level gages so the state can quickly send out emergency alerts and coordinate with first responders.
"Conditions can change rapidly and in a short time frame which is why it's really important to monitor the gauge data as well as having multiple ways of receiving warnings that are issued by the National Weather Service," Pyle said.
Ferris says he's only seen the water levels this high one other time in the six years he's lived in Colonial Heights, but he fears what the coming days will bring.
"I watch TV 6 everyday and when I see the weather forecast of 50%, 60%, 50% of rain each day for the next seven days, where is the water gonna go?" Ferris said.
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