BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Witnesses say it all started about 9:30 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of Clinton and Babcock Streets at the overpass. As heavy rain continued to fall, two motorists thought they could make it through the water, but instead, they got stuck.
"It just floods the car. They stall and the water just kept rising and rising," said Missy Ray, who works on Clinton Street. "Cars kept coming down even though the police were blocking it off. They keep trying to get through but they can't."
Ray says the motorists were able to get out of their cars, but fire officials say they'll check them anyway to make sure no one is inside. The Buffalo Sewer Authority says the sewers at Clinton and Babcock are cleaned once a month and there's not much they can do to prevent flooding.
The overpass near Broadway and North Ogden was also heavily flooded, causing a vehicle and a mail truck to go underwater. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says when heavy rains come quickly, people should always stay clear of flooded areas.
"In a heavy rainfall, when you are driving under a viaduct, you really have to exercise caution," Brown (D) said. "You have to pay attention to what is ahead of you. If you see standing water, if you see cones, you should turn around and go in the other direction."
Buffalo fire officials say during the flash flooding, they answered over 20 rescue calls, five of them swift water rescues.