Crime & Safety Mercyhealth Hospital Floods, Vehicle Rescues Reported In Rockford "Maintaining the safety of patients and partners is a top priority," a spokesman said. Reply ROCKFORD, IL — A flash flood emergency in Rockford was caught on video as water poured into a local hospital. Rockford Scanner and CBS News reported evacuations were underway Monday night at Mercyhealth Hospital due to flooding inside the building (see video). But a hospital spokesman told the Rockford Register-Star that no areas occupied by patients were flooded. "Maintaining the safety of patients and partners is a top priority," spokesman Sean Muserallo told the outlet. "Patients were not in any danger, and the hospital is not evacuating." A video shared by Rockford Scanner showed flooded hallways at the hospital. A woman who said she was an employee wrote that the basement and first floor of the hospital had flooded and the hospital was on emergency power Monday night. The National Weather Service in Chicago reported that Doppler radar indicated heavy rain across Winnebago and Boone counties, and flash flooding as heavy rainfall continued in the area. More than 4.5 inches of rain reportedly fell in less than 90 minutes Monday night. Rockford Scanner reported an alert to move to higher ground late Monday as the flooding emergency became dangerous. Rockford Register-Star also reported that several motorists were rescued from vehicles amid the flooding, including a 70-year-old man whose car, carried by a strong current, slammed into a guardrail, trapping him in the vehicle. Two bystanders rushed to the man's aid after his car became trapped against the guardrail in a Schnucks store parking lot.<doc-sep>'Whoever Is Watching This, They're Going To Get A Thrill': Willy T. Ribbs, Paul Tracy, Ernie Francis Jr. Discuss Superstar Racing ExperienceThe Superstar Racing Experience inaugural season begins on June 12 at Stafford Speedway. 'Rugrats' Voice Actors E.G. Daily And Cheryl Chase Call New Animation Style 'Brilliant': 'Every Time They Would Show Us We Would Just Gasp''In the words of Chuckie Finster, "Looks like a giant step to me" as the 90's classic Rugrats returns with all-new episodes and a slick modern animation style on Paramount+. WATCH: Caroline D'Amore Discusses 'Surreal' MTV's 'The Hills: New Beginnings' Experience & Pizza Girl BusinessThe Los Angeles native discusses what it was like to join the cast of "The Hills: New Beginnings" and her new line of sauce. SEC Football: CBS Sports Announces 2021 Schedule Including Alabama At Florida On September 18The SEC on CBS kicks off on September 18 with an SEC Championship game rematch between the Crimson Tide and Gators. Mayweather Vs. Paul: Showtime Sports Announces Broadcast Team For June 6 EventThe network announced its plans for the broadcast of the pay-per-view exhibition bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Logan Paul. The 74th Annual 'Tony Awards' And 'The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back!' Come To CBS September 26thCBS and Tony Award Productions will celebrate Broadway’s highly anticipated return to live theatre with a multiplatform event The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back! Sunday, September 26th (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) broadcasting on CBS and available to stream live and on demand with Paramount+ or the CBS app.<doc-sep>Tonight’s game will not start on time as inclement weather/heavy rain is forecast to enter the area. With this being the Dodgers lone trip to Chicago this season, every effort will be made to play this game tonight. pic.twitter.com/5MFEc5ZKnT — Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 18, 2018 Roads flooded in Rockford due to heavy rain. Photo courtesy of Brad Smalley EMBED >More News Videos The Chicago area's heat wave continued on Monday. CHICAGO (WLS) -- After four days of extreme heat and humidity, heavy rains and thunderstorms broke the heat Monday evening.In parts of northern Illinois, a flash flood emergency left some areas under water.In north suburban Zion soaking rains flooded Route 173. Water up to a foot high made driving treacherous.In Lake Zurich, storm drains were tested as blinding rains slowed traffic.Further west in Rockford, dangerous flooding brought reports of submerged vehicles, drivers being rescued and manhole covers being blown off as rising waters overwhelmed storm drains.Rockford officials are urging residents to stay off the streets. There are also reports of significant flooding at Mercy Hospital in Rockford, requiring evacuations of that facility.On Monday, heat indices were near 100 degrees during the day, but by about 10 p.m. temperatures will drop 20 degrees after the storms move through. An Excessive Heat Warning expired at 7 p.m. Monday in Cook County and surrounding counties after three days.Metra UP-NW train No. 627 was stopped near Harvard and delayed for about 25 minutes due to standing water caused by heavy rain.The Cubs game against the Dodgers was delayed due to weather.At O'Hare International Airport, delays averaged 36 minutes and 162 flights were canceled. At Midway Airport, delays averaged 15 minutes and 69 flights were canceled.Earlier Monday, beachgoers hit the sand early, trying to get out before the peak of the days heat index. Over the weekend, 31st Street Beach and Calumet Park Beach had calls for overcrowding on Sunday.For those who worked outdoors, the extreme heat could pose a danger, which meant that construction crews, landscapers and other workers guzzled water and tried to stay in the shade.Firefighters in Evanston couldn't avoid extended periods in the heat as they battled a blaze, and were checked-up afterwards. "They have their vitals checked they get fluids we take off the gear so they can vent," said Chief Brian Scott, of the Evanston Fire Department.In the Loop, people couldn't avoid the rising mercury on their walk to work, and had mixed feelings about the temperatures. "I think that the thing that helped today and that's only today my husband didn't work so he dropped me off at the train. Otherwise, I'd be wet already," said Loop worker Tonja Konic. "If ever I get too hot in Chicago, I just remember what the winters were like. I love this weather," said Loop worker Kathy Miller.While business men and women in the Loop we're looking forward to their air conditioned offices, crews who work outside had little relief.Monday morning, lawn crews were trying to stay ahead of the heat on the lakefront while construction crews were hard at work in the Loop. "Yeah, I don't know if I necessarily want to be doing what they're doing, particularly in a couple of hours when the sun hits them directly," said Loop worker John Fallon.Chicago residents can call 311 for information about city cooling centers or to request a well-being check for friends or family who may be affected by the heat.The city says the Department of Family & Support Services has six community service centers that double as cooling centers during the summer. Five of those centers are open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Garfield Community Service Center at 10 South Kedzie is open 24 hours a day.Seniors without air conditioning are encouraged to go to one the city's 15 senior centers on weekdays. Five centers are also open on Saturdays and two are open on Sundays.Some libraries, park facilities, police stations and other city-operated places serve as cooling centers in the evenings and weekends. Call 311 for after-hours cooling information.Cook County has also released a list of cooling centers that are open throughout the suburbs, some of which operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The full list and operating hours are available HERE<doc-sep>
A flash flood warning was issued for Illinois until 12.15 a.m. local time (1.15 a.m. EDT) Tuesday by the National Weather Service (NWS) in Chicago. The doppler radar indicated thunderstorms in the region at 6 p.m. local time (7 p.m. EDT), which caused heavy rain. “Strong storms with gusty winds and heavy rain shifting into northern IL over the next couple hours. Flash flooding poss,” NWS tweeted. Rockford, Belvidere, Loves Park, Machesney Park, Rockford Airport, Roscoe, Poplar Grove, Cherry Valley, Winnebago, Pecatonica, Capron, Timberlane, Caledonia and New Millfors are some locations that will face flooding, the agency said in a statement. “Flash Flood Warning including Rockford IL, Belvidere IL, Loves Park IL until 12:15 AM CDT,” The National Weather Service in Chicago tweeted. Photo: Todd Marks/via REUTERS Rockford was the most affected area, as thunderstorms swept through it wreaking havoc in the evening. Flash flood emergency is expected to go through midnight Tuesday in the region. “About 4.5" of rain fell in Rockford, IL in 90 mins this evening - leading to the ongoing Flash Flood Emergency there,” Weather Nation tweeted. Evacuations are underway at Mercy Health Hospital, Rockford, due to flooding inside the hospital. The hospital stopped taking new patients and has sought assistance to evacuate parts of the building. Several water rescue calls were reported with numerous people stuck in vehicles, Rockford Scanner reported. A number of houses have reported power outages and flooding in basements. “The benefit to not having a basement is that we’re not getting flooded or water inside. The pictures of flooding throughout Rockford are crazy!” Beth, a resident of Illinois, tweeted. “We are getting several reports of flooded roads and stalled cars in the Rockford area. Remember and share...Turn Around Don't Drown!! We had a report of 3.1" of rain on the east side of the metro in just over one hour,” NWS tweeted. Rockford Scanner also reported an occupied van floating away in flooded water. Emergency personnel have reached the scene. Also, some cars were found submerged in the parking lot of a grocery store in Rockford. “Move to higher ground now. This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicle,” the NWS statement said. “A serious flooding situation across the Rockford metro as very heavy rain has brought significant flooding this eve. Numerous roads are impassable. Do not cross flooded roads! Non-emergency travel in this area not recommended these next few hours,” NWS Chicago tweeted. Rockford was facing a three-day heat wave that broke with the heavy rains. RRStar reported that weather forecasted for Tuesday is 77 degrees with scattered rain showers throughout the day. Rockford experienced a high temperature of 99 degrees on Monday.