Rain Creates Heavy Flooding in Areas of Fresno

Rain hit the Central Valley Thursday, flooding many streets and neighborhoods around Fresno.

This isn’t the edge of riverbed you’re looking at, but the rain sure made it feel that way at least for this person taking a ride in a kayak on the street.

"It’s a good sign that we’re getting this much rain in Fresno. Can’t complain. I guess too many people are wishing for it and we finally got it," said Mike Deshayes.

There was heavy flooding on Browning Avenue near Fresno Street. Some drivers treaded carefully, while others sped right through.

"Slow down, slow down. Nobody slows down," said Lori Shreve.

Around Fresno, the rain caused some damage with the rain coming down on the roof at the Orchard Supply store at Blackstone and Barstow.

"Unfortunately for this building, it cracked one of the main beams near the front entrance," said Batallion Chief Casey Clark with the Fresno Fire Department.

In central Fresno, the underpass at Wishon Avenue was underwater. A car was nearly fully submerged.

Good Samaritans helped the driver get out and a tow truck got to work to remove her truck.

Over in north Fresno at the intersection of Cedar and Nees– "There’s a lake right out there on the street. It’s all the way up over the front of the tires," Shreve said.

All over Fresno, sidewalks were flooded from the downpour.

At the busy intersection of Shaw and Blackstone, drivers slowed for the major puddles.

But these teens took splashing in the puddles to a whole other level.

"We just saw the puddle and we figured, hey why not, we have a lifted truck, why not have fun," said Xiomara Orendain.

At the Taste of Tower event in the Tower District, the rainy weather didn’t dampen the mood, still bringing out a crowd.

"The rain made it more fun because we knew there wouldn’t be as many people, so we came to enjoy ourselves. The rain just made it a bigger adventure," said Carly Martinez.