Photos: Torrential rain leads to water rescue, crashes on Interstate 87 in North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — As torrential rains quickly dumped about 2 inches of rain in Raleigh and Wake County starting around 5:20 p.m. Saturday, flooding was seen with a water rescue of a family from a van, officials said.

The National Weather Service soon issued a flash flood warning for central Wake County — including Raleigh — but only after inches of rain poured into Raleigh and areas around the city.

Flooding was soon underway in downtown Raleigh and a water rescue took place.

A mother and three children were pulled out of their minivan near Raleigh Union Station in the 300 block of South West Street when floodwaters quickly formed under a bridge in the area, according to authorities.

Soon after that rescue and while heavy rain was still falling around 6 p.m. a series of wrecks took place along Interstate 87/U.S. 64 near Hodge Road, which is exit 5.

Three cars were seen wrecked and packed together in the flooded median while other cars were parked along the median. A few hundred feet away, another vehicle was wrecked, partially in the median.

Both directions of I-87 were impacted with various lanes closed. As of 7 p.m., northbound I-87 was closed near Hodge Road.

There was no word about injuries, but an ambulance was at the scene.

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