DU QUOIN (WSIL) -- Perry County residents are telling News 3 about their scary experiences while they recover from .
Some residents tell News 3 they were surprised by the amount of heavy rain that came in a short time frame on Friday, July 16. Even local officials say they hadn't seen water levels that high since the late 90s.
Du Quoin resident Kathy Epplin says Friday's heavy down-pour was scary. She and her family were traveling back from Herrin and had a hard time getting home.
"Our backyard was flooded, our front yard was flooded. It was up to our front steps in the backyard. But we survived it so that's the good thing," she says.
Viewer Cindy Barclay sent News 3 a picture that was taken right in front of her home and says she's never seen water that deep on the road.
Du Quoin Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Coordinator Doug Clark says due to the flash flooding, West Main Street was closed for about 30 minutes and caused at least half a dozen flooded basements.
"It's weather and it's unpredictable and you know that's why you alwasy should be prepared for that kind of weather. Even in this city there was several stalled vehicles, even the local roadways," he says. "It just emphasizes importance of you see water over the road, you should follow the rules of, 'Turn around, don't drown.'"
Clark says the water levels at the lake and roadways haven't been this high since 1998.
Epplin says she was amazed at all the rain she witnessed in her community.
"It was scary to me because I couldn't believe how much water was coming at us from the other cars and the rain just pouring down. It was scary to me but it was amazing," she says.
Clark says in the area-as quickly as the waters can rise from rain, they can easily go back down. The Emergency Management Agency does not plan on reporting the flooding as a "disaster" declaration.
