The Town of West Hartford is warning the community that heavy rain overnight may cause severe flooding and it’s time to prepare your home now.

Submitted

As of Monday afternoon it appears that a significant storm is headed toward Hartford County that may cause flooding in West Hartford. Town officials are advising people to please take steps now to protect your home and your neighborhood.

Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security has notified Hartford county towns to expect several rounds of showers and thunderstorms during the next 36 hours.

These showers and thunderstorms may contain very heavy rain with rainfall rates ranging from 2 to 4 inches per hour. The storm system is forecasted to move slowly from west to east across the state in clusters starting this afternoon. These clusters could deliver over 4 inches of rain in a short period of time to some towns. This amount of rainfall could cause moderate to isolated pockets of major urban flooding.

Residents should prepare their homes by running their sump pumps NOW to ensure they will operate when you need it. The majority of flooded basement calls are caused by unplugged sump pumps, or the sump pump float is stuck or there is a clog in the system. Take a moment to check.

Residents can also help the Town of West Hartford by removing debris that has accumulated on top the catch basin closest to their home. Allowing water to flow freely will help reduce street flooding that could back-up onto your property. We appreciate your help.

Other ways to prevent damage to your home caused by flooding include:

• Moving items stored on your basement floor to a higher location.
• Keeping important documents and items in waterproof containers.
• Decluttering drains and gutters.

After the storm:

• Do not drive through standing water.
• Do not attempt to drive through areas that are blocked off by public safety.
• Do not allow children to play in standing water.

There is no better time than right now to prepare for emergencies.

Sign-up to get alerts from the Town of West Hartford regarding emergencies and other important community news by going to https://member.everbridge.net/892807736721717/login.

Also visit http://www.getreadycapitolregion.org for instructions on how to: Be Aware, Plan and Prepare. West Hartford’s Emergency Management Office has an information sheet on ways to keep safe during flooding, click here.

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