WASHINGTON, June 26: Floods that ravaged the US capital kept government tax collectors and federal agents away from work on Monday and closed the home of the Declaration of Independence.
With as much as seven inches of rain having fallen since Sunday, flooded basements or electrical problems forced the closure of the Internal Revenue Service headquarters, most of the US Justice Department and the National Archives.
A 140-year-old elm tree toppled on the White House grounds and cars floated at flooded intersections on Constitution Avenue, which runs past tourist attractions such as the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.
The federal government told its roughly 200,000 area workers they could take leave time if they were unable to get to work but there was no immediate estimate of how many were affected.
With portions of the area’s rail service disrupted, many commuters took to the streets to walk.
The National Archives, which houses the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and other treasured documents, said inspections ‘revealed no damage to original records’.
The sun came out on Monday morning but more rain showers, some heavy, were predicted throughout the region.
“I think we’re going to have rain for the next couple of days,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Woodcock.
“We have the potential for more problems, especially on Tuesday.”
A flash-flood watch was in effect for the greater Washington metropolitan area through Tuesday evening, the weather service said.
“In many, many counties, (there have been) rescues ... cars that got stuck in water, many road closures,” Woodcock said.
“It’s been a very bad day.”
Flights were delayed as much as two hours at the height of the storm late on Sunday and early on Monday, said Rob Yingling of Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
As of 9am on Monday, delays of 15 minutes or less were reported for flights into and out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles International Airport.
The heavy rainfall broke a single-day record for June 25 that goes back to 1870, Woodcock said.—Reuters
