LENEXA, Kan. (KCTV) – Residents in the Whispering Hills neighborhood spent Thursday recovering from what many called the most intense flood they’ve seen in decades.
Overnight storms brought torrential rain, causing a nearby low-water bridge and creek to overflow into backyards and streets. The flooding overwhelmed storm drains and left multiple basements waterlogged, damaging homes and toppling retaining walls.
“We’ve got water everywhere… It took out retaining walls, and our basement is very wet,” said longtime resident Jim Conkright. “As you can tell, there’s water flowing everywhere.”
A Storm Like No Other
Residents described waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of relentless rain and powerful winds.
“I never experienced that kind of rain here, ever,” said Russ Ewy, a resident of 18 years. “It was almost like a monsoon.” He estimates around seven inches of rain fell during the storm, filling his basement and scattering his belongings.
“My first thought was, did somebody borrow our kayak?” Ewy joked. “And then I thought maybe it got waterlogged and submerged.”
Many residents spent the morning clearing branches, removing debris, and drying out patios. The force of the storm snapped tree limbs and sent water surging into homes.
Infrastructure Overwhelmed
Locals said the city’s drainage system simply couldn’t handle the volume.
“We didn’t know we were gonna get six inches,” said Conkright. “And this system can’t take six inches.”
Although water levels receded by mid-morning, the damage left behind was substantial.
Children were seen cautiously exploring near the creek after the flooding subsided.
“They thought they would go weeding in the stream,” said neighbor Dotty Vanderhorst. “There’s a little pebble beach down there, but no, not today.”
Grateful Despite the Damage
Despite the mess, residents remained thankful that no one was seriously injured.
“I knew it was a low-lying house, and I knew it came with the risk,” said Ewy. “We’ve lived here for a while and didn’t have any problems. Then, all of a sudden, we started getting problems. But I don’t think it would’ve deterred me. I love where we live.”
Their thoughts were also with those hit harder elsewhere.
“We don’t like it, but it’s nothing like what happened in Texas and other flooding incidents,” Conkright added.
Cleanup efforts are ongoing as the neighborhood works to bounce back from what many say is the worst flood in 20 years.
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