Amherstburg cleans up after flooding

Amherstburgwas cleaning up Tuesday morningafter rain pounded the town during the night and caused extensive flooding.

Residents reported widespread basement flooding, and both Victoria Street South and Sullivan Street were briefly closed to traffic because of the water.

'I've never seen this much water.' Wayne Hurst, Amherstburg mayor

CBC reporter Katia Augustin said people on Sullivanseemed especially hard hit, and their sump pumps couldn't keep up with the water.

"I got up at three o'clock,"Dale Ilersaid. "I heard the pump buzzing and I knew something was wrong. I go downstairs, I walk off the last step, and there's six inches of water."

Amherstburg Mayor Wayne Hurst spoke to CBC News in the morning from the Centennial Park area, where he said, "the water is just laying there."

"I've never seen this much water."

Although the streets were mostlyclear later in the morning, Hurst said public works officials were taking phone calls from the public to determine the extent of the basement flooding.

"The system was working," he said. "But it was overwhelmed by the abundance of rainfall that took place in that short time. Environment Canada says more showers are in the forecast for later today.

It may take Iler and other residents a while to assess the damage.

"This is like a nightmare," he said.