Torrential rain swamps portions of Seaford

By Glenn Rolfe

SEAFORD — Torrential downpours Wednesday afternoon swamped the city, turning streets into ponds while forcing many motorists to detour around flooded roadways.

The drainage infrastructure system was temporarily overwhelmed by the heavy rain, which began in mid-afternoon, creating the ponding of several inches to a foot or more of water.

Areas just several miles east of Seaford escaped with virtually no rain.

One of the areas impacted by flooding was Norman Eskridge Highway, which brought several city police officers to block the westbound lanes for a period and direct traffic.

“We had several locations on the roadways that got flooded, and officers had to push a few vehicles. But no one had to be evacuated,” said Seaford Police Deputy Chief Michael Rapa. “Once the rain stopped, the standing water dissipated.”