By Emanuele Berry, WKAR News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-979631.mp3
Lansing, MI – A line of storms packing heavy rain moved across Lansing late Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, forcing residents from their homes and causing severe damage.
Heavy rain moved across Lansing Wednesday night causing severe damage. Flooding forced more than a dozen people living on Burchfield Drive in Lansing to evacuate their homes.
"I woke up at 12:30 this morning to about three feet of water in my bedroom and my whole entire house," evacuee Trisha Herrmann said.
Her family was one of six who took refuge at a Red Cross shelter set up at Everett High School. Red Cross volunteer Paul Spata says that the flood was caused by an overwhelmed storm drain.
"These homes are not along the river," Spata explained. "It was water being channeled into the storm sewer and more water got to one point, then could be contained and so it pushed it back up above street level and that's what caused the flooding."
At least five homes in the neighborhood suffered major damage. Minor damage to other homes allowed some residents to retrieve items. The American Red Cross is helping the families find temporary housing.