Detroit suburb seeks emergency declaration due to flooding

A suburban Detroit community has asked the state for an emergency declaration after flooding that followed heavy rainfall left streets covered with water and stranded some residents in their homes.

Dearborn Heights, just west of Detroit, said Wednesday on its website that the city is awaiting a response from the state.

"We experienced 3 inches (7.62 centimetres) of rain last night," Dearborn Heights Fire Chief Dave Brogan told WDIV-TV.

"We've had several calls of people trapped in their homes who have medical problems or physical limitations that we're helping ... and we've had a lot of homes filling up with smoke from water flooding up to their electrical outlets."

Overnight rain across the Detroit area lefts scores of basements flooded and made some local streets impassable. Some vehicles had to be towed from the water.

The state Department of Transportation said flooding closed the Southfield Freeway in both directions at Outer Drive on Detroit's west side and the northbound Lodge Freeway in downtown Detroit. Flooding was also reported along Interstate 75 in downtown Detroit.

The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory Wednesday for some communities along the Lake Erie shoreline in southeastern Michigan. The advisory said that southwesterly wind gusts would lead to elevated water levels in Monroe County.