Torrential rain put a damper on Halloween for thousands of children in the Kingston region Thursday night.
The rainfall also made it difficult for motorists navigating flooded streets and roads.
On King Street West at Beverley Street, in Kingston’s downtown, several cars stalled out in the high water.
One driver, 72-year-old Sharon Pratt, also got stuck.
Pratt was on her way to Kingston General Hospital to pick up a friend to take her home.
“It really is nuts,” says Pratt, “I mean, holy smoke.
“Everyone else was going through. All the cars were going through — me, no!”
Pratt’s silver sedan had water up to the lug nuts and doors — over a foot high.
Her car stalling in a lake, as she called it.
“I was floating — the car was going like this,” Pratt said, simulating a floating boat.
“But when the bus went by; it went do-dee-dough. You know.
“I needed oars,” added Pratt with a smile.
Environment Canada forecasted rainfall amounts of 30 to 50 mm to fall late Thursday afternoon into the evening hours.
And according to Yianni Koutrounbas, a resident on Beverley Street, the flooding was expected. He said leaves at this time of year always clog the storm drains in his neighbourhood.
“I was talking to a friend of mine this morning. I said, they (city work crews) better come and clean up, because I said this thing happens all the time,” says Koutrounbas.
“It’s a common occurrence.”
Kingston city crews were at the scene late Thursday racking storm drains of leaf debris.
And it appears to be the same issue was experienced on Queen Mary Road near Bath Road in Kingston’s west end.
The roadway flooded; a driver was just getting through the high water, bellows of steam rising from his car into the night air.
Pratt was rescued by a family friend Kim Smith, everyone safe and in good spirits.
“We waded her out of the water and CAA was amazing,” says Smith in a loud voice.