Kansas City firefighters respond to 23 water rescues after flash flooding
By Nick Sloan, Matt Flener
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — Flash flooding across Kansas City overnight led to 23 water rescue calls.
All the rescues involved vehicles trapped in high water, with several incidents reported in the East Bottoms and Historic Northeast neighborhoods, the Kansas City Fire Department said.
Fire officials said everyone made it out safely.
“We don’t run that volume of calls and water rescues on a daily basis, but when it does happen, we’re prepared for it,” said Kansas City Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.
Hopkins said one danger people don’t often realize includes open manhole covers underneath floodwater.
“As peaceful as it looks like, and you fall through that manhole,” Hopkins said, “It’s no longer going to be a rescue it’s going to be a recovery. wherever your body pops up downstream.”
The department encourages commuters to avoid flooded roads and remember the safety slogan, “Turn around, don’t drown.”
Just a few inches of moving water can carry away a vehicle, firefighters said.
No injuries were reported in the rescues.
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