‘I never experienced that kind of rain here, ever’: Low-water bridge overflows into Lenexa neighborhood

LENEXA, Kan. (KCTV) - Residents in Lenexa’s Whispering Hills neighborhood are cleaning up Thursday after what they describe as the worst flood in recent history.

Floodwaters rushed through streets and backyards, overwhelming ditches and storm drains and leaving several basements underwater. The creek that runs through the neighborhood spilled over its banks, forcing residents to stay home and assess the damage.

Neighbors said it’s the most rain they’ve seen in at least 20 years.

“We’ve got water everywhere. We’ve got people coming out. It took out retaining walls, and our basement is very wet,” said Jim Conkright, a longtime Whispering Hills resident. “As you can tell, there’s water flowing everywhere.”

Many residents spent their mornings picking up fallen branches and clearing debris from their yards. The force of the rain, combined with strong winds, toppled tree limbs and flooded basements.

“I never experienced that kind of rain here, ever,” said Russ Ewy, who’s lived in the neighborhood for 18 years. He was woken up at 3 a.m. by the sound of rain pounding on his door.

Residents in Lenexa’s Whispering Hills neighborhood are cleaning up Thursday after what they describe as the worst flood in recent history.

“It was almost like a monsoon type of wind,” Ewy said. “When I looked out, the branches were really swaying.”

He estimates that at least seven inches of rain fell during the storm and said the water filled his basement and scattered his belongings.

“My first thought was, did somebody borrow our kayak?” he joked. “And then I thought maybe it got waterlogged and submerged.”

The city’s drainage system, neighbors said, couldn’t keep up.

“We didn’t know we were gonna get six inches,” Conkright said. “And this system can’t take six inches.”

The flooding didn’t stop everyone from stepping outside. Children were seen playing cautiously near the creek hours after the water receded.

“They thought they would go weeding in the stream,” said Dotty Vanderhorst, a nearby resident. “There’s a little pebble beach down there, but no, not today.”

Residents in Lenexa’s Whispering Hills neighborhood are cleaning up Thursday after what they describe as the worst flood in recent history.

As water levels began to drop, residents dried off patios, vacuumed basements, and continued clearing storm debris.

Despite the damage, many said they’re grateful for what they still have.

“I knew it was a low-lying house, and I knew it came with the risk,” Ewy said. “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.”

Residents expressed gratitude that no one was seriously injured. They say their thoughts are with those facing even worse conditions in Texas.

“We don’t like it, but it’s nothing like what happened in Texas and other flooding incidents,” said Conkright.