A record-breaking spring storm dumped as much as 17 centimetres of rain in areas around Chicago. The severe weather grounded more than 300 flights at O’Hare airport, causedheavy flooding throughout the city and led to a sinkhole opening up in a Southeast Side neighbourhood.
The sinkhole opened up early Thursday morning, swallowing up two cars as the earth gave way. A third car fell into the pit and one man was sent to hospital. According to the Chicago Tribune, the sinkhole grew to be about 12 metres across.
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Sand bagging efforts began Wednesday evening as flood waters began to rise. On Thursday, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn declared a state of emergency in the hardest hit areas. Approximately 19,000 customers lost power during the storm, while major roadways, trains, schools, government offices and — for the third time in its history — the Brookfield Zoo were all shut down due to the flash flooding.
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport – one of the country’s busiest – has reportedly cancelled more than 500 flights since the storm began Wednesday.
The severe weather is forecast to continue throughout the afternoon on Thursday, with another two to five centimetres of rain expected to fall by the end of the day.
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