VIDEO: Rains cause widespread flooding in Corbin

Persistent heavy rains today forced officials to battle widespread flooding in the city of Corbin and surrounding areas, and left some residents desparately trying to keep rising water out of their homes.

Master Street in Corbin was one of the hardest hit Thursday. The road was virtually impassable in the area near Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Water streamed down both sides of the street into low areas and caused problems for motorists the length of the road all the way to the base of the overpass bridge hill. Drivers were forced into the elevated turning lane to avoid rushing water.

"This is the worst I’ve ever seen it," said Brian Booth, an employee at Gover Floral, which is located in the area most affected. "There’s so much water coming into this area when it rains like this it is really a hard problem to solve."

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, just across the road from Gover, was nearly flooded with only about two inches of dry ground separating it from the foul mix of rainwater and sewer.

According to Corbin Police, other areas of town were also hit by high water including Cumberland Falls Hwy. around I-75 Exit 25, Third through Fifth Streets, Roy Kidd Ave. (particularly the underpass bridge) and other low lying areas. Residents of two nursing homes on Bacon Creek Road could not be reached by emergency vehicles easily because of deep water. CSX Transportation also reported flooding issues around some of its tracks, particularly in Woodbine. A motorist was stranded for a time after trying to drive through high water in Cumberland Falls Hwy. south of Corbin.

Check back often to www.thenewsjournal.net for the latest information on the flooding and exclusive video footage.