Dozens rescued from suburban flooding after record-setting rainfall

LYONS, Ill. - The city and suburbs were doused with rain for the majority of Sunday -- specifically more than three inches of rain in just 12 hours, and it has created some of the worst flooding in more than 60 years.

Since 7:30 p.m. Sunday night and into most of Monday, crews have had to rescue people in a Lyons neighborhood by boat.

So far, dozens have been evacuated and are now left waiting to know when they will be able to get back into their homes.

Shannon Mendoza lives on Circle Drive and was rescued by boat around 11 p.m. Sunday night.

“As soon as we opened the door, the water just flew into the house,” she said.

On Monday, she went back to try to salvage a few things.

"The whole first floor is covered in water and sewer water. It's dirty, it's gross,” Mendoza said.

Thankfully, she says her family and pets got out safely, but her house looks like a disaster.

“It's gonna be a long time before we get home. My kids won't be coming home for a while,” Mendoza said.

She is one of more than 50 people in the neighborhood who were evacuated, along with more than 16 animals.

The water is as high as neck-deep in some areas, according to Lyon’s Fire Chief Gordon Nord. He says crews are working to pump water out of the area and that the water is slowly starting to recede.

“We're hoping that tomorrow we'll see a substantial drop,” he said.

Nord is urging residents, “Please do not try to go in there yourself and try to walk through that current, you’re gonna get swept away.”

Some people, though, took that risk while others watched the situation unfold from the sidelines, as crews brought people to and from their homes by boat.

“It's gonna take us a long time to get this back to normal. it's scary,” Mendoza said.

She says right now she is staying with a friend.

The fire chief says there is no word yet on when these residents will be allowed to safely go back to their homes.