Waters are beginning to recede in Union after heavy rainfall fell early this morning, causing widespread flooding issues across town.
The worst areas were on Hwy. 492 between North Street and Industrial Circle near the train tracks and on Bank Street in Union, which caused the new Union Police Department to be flooded. Hwy. 492 was shut down by MDOT at 10:30 a.m.
Chief Billy Pat Walker said that this is one of the worst flash floods he's seen in years.
"I can't remember the last time we've had a flood this bad," Walker said. "Usually the water might back up on Bank Street, but it's never done this that I can recall."
Assistant Police Chief Mitch Kennedy said they received help from off-duty police officers, City of Union pubic works employees, inmates provided by Sheriff Joedy Pennington and workers provided by Mayor Brad Capps, along with other volunteers.
"We greatly appreciate their assistance in helping us get the police department cleaned up," Kennedy said.
More than a foot of water got into the police station, which some ruined floors, but fortunately, it did not damage the six vehicles that were parked inside the police department.
"We didn't really have any significant damage," Walker said. "Mostly, we're just trying to dry everything out."
Ashlyn Jackson, meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said radar estimates showed between 4 and 7 inches of rain.
"The worst of it fell in Union," Jackson said. "We had one station report 5.11 inches of rain."
Additional rain was expected to develop across the area, but Jackson couldn't predict how severe it would be.
"More thunderstorms will likely develop this afternoon with the heating of the day," Jackson said. "But we cannot predict how much or where the strongest storms will develop."
