Flash floods and thunderstorms hammered Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Monday causing road closures and damages in and around the region.

Officials said the rapid-moving string of thunderstorms resulted in more than 15,000 power outages and several cars were stuck on route 28. The National Weather Service reported that Pittsburgh International Airport recorded rainfall of 1.33 inches between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT on Monday.

“Multiple Severe Thunderstorm and Flash Flood Warnings have been issued for our area over the last several hours...please relay any reports of flooded roadways, trees/wires down, hail size, etc,” National Weather Service, Pittsburgh, tweeted.

Aspinwall, Sharpsburg O’ Hara and Fox Chapel recorded rainfall of over 2 inches and the eastern parts of the city witnessed severe flooding. Several people got trapped in Kittanning Pike and there were reports of trees being uprooted in the northern suburbs.

Also, several vehicles were found abandoned in Fox Chapel as the roads were flooded and police patrolled in rafts after receiving several calls of basements and backyards overflowing before 10 p.m. EDT.

Route 28 and Washington Boulevard were shut due to flooding and downed power lines. Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Washington counties received flash flood warning until 8:45 p.m. EDT.

“Major flooding hits the Pittsburgh region once again! This is a picture in from Fox Chapel, Allegheny County. Radar estimates that up to 3 inches of rain has fallen in a very short period of time!” local weather station tweeted.

Almost 3 feet of water was witnessed on Chadwick Street at Ferry Street and a small landslide occurred on Power Run Road. Highland Park near the Pittsburgh Zoo also witnessed flooding and a transformer fire burned at Chestnut and Kramer streets.

A state police spokesperson said that around 100 cars were stopped from moving along the state route between Etna and Blawnox.

A dispatcher said vehicles were stopped by overflowing sewers and the police were searching for places where it was safe to remove people from their vehicles. Local daily Triblive reported that rescue teams were called out around 7.30 p.m. EDT after multiple vehicles were reported stuck along Squaw Run Road.

“Multiple flash flood warnings impacting the Pittsburgh region at the moment. Do not drive through flooded roadways and watch out for rising creeks and streams!” local weather station tweeted.

“[The rain] lasted for about an hour and a half, but it was very strong, the water rose very quickly and kind of caught everybody off guard. But everybody was able to luckily handle it and get out safely,” Foxwall Emergency Medical Services commander Joshua Worth said, CBS reported. “We do see the creek rise often when we have rain issues and when we have water flow issues, but this is the worst I’ve seen this year so far."

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