A flash flood warning is in effect for the District of Columbia area as heavy rains soak the region on Monday morning.
According to NBC 4 Washington, high water on roads brought by heavy rains left drivers stranded in their vehicles, prompting several water rescues by law enforcement. The flash flooding warning including the D.C. area as well as Virginia’s Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties. Conditions have caused some roads to close and downed several trees. One mudslide collapsed a home in Potomac, Maryland, reports WTOP. Reports state between three to 6 inches of rain has fallen in parts of the region, while Reagan National Airport received over 3 inches.
One driver said she began to panic after becoming trapped in her car.
“I really freaked out. I didn’t know what to do,” she told NBC 4 Washington. “I called the police, and the police came right away.”
“I thought, ‘I’m going to die,'” she added. “It was a lot of water.”
The National Weather Service shared a warning at 10 a.m. local time: “THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF YOU ARE NEAR A STREAM, YOU MUST MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND NOW! IF YOU ARE IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS FLOWING WATER OR HIGH STANDING WATER, DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH THE WATER. IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!”
“It’s important for motorists not to drive through standing water,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement to WTOP, adding: “Give our crews the road to work.”
The Washington Metro also saw flooding, according to footage shared to Twitter. One video shows water coming through the rood of Virginia Square-GMU Metro Station.