By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY – The area around 28th and 29th streets in Ocean City remained flooded for hours after Sunday’s rain, stranding some vehicles and giving others a chance for a little water-based recreation.
More heavy rain is expected today and Thursday throughout the region as the remnants of Hurricane Ida, that slammed into Louisiana over the weekend, creating extensive damage and knocking out power to more than a million people, arrive here.
According to city Public Information Officer Doug Bergen, the resort has a dedicated pump station and drainage team that monitors all 10 stations throughout the island before, during and after every storm event. He said that team is aware that the area around 28th and 29th Street was the last to drain on Sunday after the rain subsided.
“They are investigating any possible issues or adjustments that need to be made,” Bergen said. Residents said it took more than seven hours to drain.
“The Ocean City Municipal Airport measured about 4 inches of rain in four hours,” Bergen noted. “It was a fairly small but extreme weather cell that was parked over top of the island. We are anticipating more heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday.
“We are monitoring conditions and will be prepared to provide advisories to the public and to barricade flooded streets,” he said. “The pumps and drainage team will be at work for the duration of the event.”
Bergen said the city urges motorists to stay off of flooded streets at all times. He pointed out that “Sunday’s conditions were made much worse by many vehicles plowing through flood waters and creating damaging wakes.”
