Flash flooding slammed the Cincinnati area Friday night, July 17, shutting down all lanes of I-71 in both directions and prompting 40 water rescues across Hamilton County. A flash flood warning covered parts of Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren counties through early Saturday morning, July 18.
Cincinnati Fire Chief Frank McKinley said at a press conference Friday night that his department responded to 40 water rescues. One person was injured and transported to a hospital in stable condition. McKinley identified Oakley, Madisonville, and parts of Pleasant Ridge as the hardest-hit areas and urged residents to stay inside.
I-71 closures
The interstate closures affected the primary commuter route for east-side village residents. On southbound I-71 near Ridge and Kennedy avenues, all lanes shut down Friday evening. On northbound I-71 beyond the Norwood Lateral, all lanes temporarily closed as well, with vehicles forced onto the left shoulder by standing water, according to WCPO 9 reporting. Whether all lanes had fully reopened by Saturday morning was not confirmed in available reports.
The City of Cincinnati issued an alert Friday night urging residents to stay off the roads and avoid all unnecessary travel.
What happened
WCPO 9's radar estimated roughly 4 inches of rain fell on Oakley during the storm. Hyde Park residents told WCPO it took only 20 to 30 minutes for the downpour to become a serious flood threat.
"I came outside, and I couldn't believe it, it came up past the fire hydrant. It was pretty brutal," Jennifer Allman, a Hyde Park resident, told WCPO 9 on Saturday, July 18, describing what she saw on Erie Avenue.
On Erie Avenue, floodwaters left vehicles partially submerged and blocked roads for hours, leaving some drivers temporarily stuck. Near the Little Miami Watershed at Duck Creek, some drivers climbed on top of their vehicles. Multiple cars were flooded in the Factory 52 parking lot in Norwood.
Cleanup and damage
Residents and business owners were cleaning up and surveying damage Saturday morning. Neko Sushi near Hyde Park Square flooded for the fifth time since 2018, according to owner Yeon Kim. Zip's Cafe in Mt. Lookout, which celebrated its 100th anniversary earlier this year, announced on Facebook it would be closed through the weekend after calling in a remediation company to assess damage.
What residents should know
Patrick Wright, a local water-damage remediation franchise owner, warned that wet carpeting and carpet padding should be removed immediately. Items left damp on a basement floor will start growing mold within 24 hours, Wright said, adding that professional help is needed unless homeowners have several high-powered fans and dehumidifiers. Most standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover flooding, he noted.
Residents who experienced a sewer backup related to a capacity issue in the public sewer system can contact the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati at 513-352-4900 or apply online at sbu.msdgc.org. That program covers sewage backing up through a floor drain or toilet, not stormwater damage.
Local village police departments had not released east-side incident counts as of Saturday, July 18.
