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Flash flooding and hail impacts Manitou Springs

Posted at 11:08 PM, Jul 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-23 18:46:36-04

Massive amounts of rain and hail swept through Manitou Springs on Monday, and the storm had people scrambling to get to higher ground.

A Red Cross Disaster Team is helping families whose apartments were flooded on Manitou Avenue.

An evacuation center at Community Congregational Church of Manitou Springs is also open to residents in need.

Monday’s storm brought mudslides, rushing water, and filled up Fountain Creek very quickly, shocking many people in the town.

Wyatt Houseman lives in Manitou Springs and said there was “a lot of panicking…I saw some water coming into some of the storefronts.”

The intense water that came through the town also pushed a car that was parked right next to Fountain Creek close to the water’s edge.

To make matters worse, pea-sized hail hit the streets hard leaving behind huge piles in the roads and on sidewalks.

David Moore, a visitor of Manitou Springs, said, “I was at the Penny Arcade. I just stayed there for shelter and the hail just came down, and all this happened rather quickly.”

The storm was a scary thing for residents like Houseman, “I just hung out and watched it unfold.”

However, after the rain and hail let up, Houseman wasted no time to lend a helping hand.

“I’m just shoveling a bunch of hail away from my favorite drinking hole, The Royale.”

It’s just the beginning of what could be a big cleanup for businesses and homeowners.