(The following story appeared on the Topeka Capital Journal website on May 7.)
TOPEKA, Kan. — Rain saturated northeast Kansas this weekend, causing floods, road closures and a train derailment — and the pounding of precipitation will continue today.
In nearby Geary County, an empty Union Pacific coal train derailed at 5:40 a.m. after a trestle bridge over a drainage ditch near the Smoky Hill River gave way after weakening because of high water, Union Pacific spokeswoman Katheryne Blackwell said Sunday. Two locomotives and an empty coal car slid off the tracks as they tried to slow down before crossing the bridge.
Blackwell said the crew was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.
“This is a little bit above your normal spring storm,” said Paul Frantz, National Weather Service meteorologist.
He said the high amount of the low-level moisture in the area, boosted by the rain, coupled with the slow-moving system from the south have kept the storms hanging around the area longer than normal, spawning one storm after another.
Today’s forecast includes an 80 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms.
The National Weather Service measured 3.72 inches of rain at Philip Billard Municipal Airport and 4.68 inches of accumulation at Forbes Field on Sunday evening. Manhattan Regional Airport reported 3.45 inches.
“We got a lot of water in a short amount of time,” said city spokesman David Bevins, who helped coordinate with city officials and public works crews on Sunday to unplug water drainages and close city streets that were impassable.
Bevins said the heavy rains caused 42 temporary road closures Sunday, with most occurring in south and southwest Topeka.
Topeka Fire Chief Howard Giles set up a command center to expedite and streamline Sunday’s activities and prepare crews in the event of more rain.
Heavy rain and soggy fields forced the Governor’s Cup Invitational Soccer Tournament to stop play after two rounds, canceling Sunday’s championship games.
The area outside Shawnee County also was assaulted by the spring storms.
Ogden, in Riley County, was inaccessible Sunday morning except through Fort Riley. Pat Collins, Riley County Emergency Management, said a Westar Energy substation in the town was underwater and structures throughout town sustained damage. Electricity was later restored but part of the town had to be evacuated because of flood problems. A shelter was set up at the Ogden Community Center to house the displaced. The town was accessible later Sunday afternoon.
Flooding also posed a problem in Osage County, where entrance into Burlingame was limited to the southern part of the town from US-56 highway for a portion of Sunday as high water disrupted the town. Burlingame resident Darren Lee said the water receded later Sunday afternoon, and roads were re-opened.