Flash Flooding in Kansas, October 4 to 5, 1998

Thunderstorms on the evening of October 4th produced very heavy rainfall resulting in major flash flooding over the Kansas counties of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Up to 3 to 5 inches of rain fell in a three hour period between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM CDT. In Lenexa, KS, over 5 inches of rain fell between 7:00 PM and 8:15 PM. The heavy rainfall with these evening thunderstorms fell on top of an already rain soaked soil from 1 to 3 inches of rain that had fallen over the region earlier in the day. Rain also fell on 6 of the 7 days during the week prior to the flash flood.In Johnson County, a 27 year old male was killed in Lenexa when his car was swept of the road near the intersection of West 93rd Street and Acuff Road into Mill Creek. An 83 year old male was killed in Overland Park when his car was trapped in flood waters on Connell Ave. near 103rd Street. The man drown while attempting to flee his vehicle as it was being washed into a drainage ditch. Numerous road closures were reported throughout the county including several sections of I-35 and I-435. Up to 4 feet of water flooded several homes and businesses in Merriam and extensive flooding also occurred along Southwest Blvd. in the Turkey Creek watershed. Johnson County Emergency Management reported over 90 calls for water rescues between 7:30 PM and midnight. Leavenworth County Emergency Management reported road closures along most major roadways throughout the county. In Tonganoxie, 3 home rescues were reported due to flooding. In Wyandotte County, flash flooding was reported along Turkey Creek in Kansas City. Fifty business reported flood damage along Southwest Blvd.