Capital Boulevard businesses clean up after 'worst in 15 years' flooding

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- One day after torrential rain caused flooding along Capital Boulevard, businesses are cleaning up the mess left behind. The Crown Royal Drive dealership is situated next to the Pigeon House Branch Watershed. The body of water rose out of its banks and spilled over into the overflow parking lot, leaving every car in the lot a total loss.

Muhammad Ali is friends with the owner and spent the entire morning Tuesday cleaning. He, along with other staffers, power-washed mud from the floor inside the dealership's office. He made plans to clean up the slush left inside dozens of damaged cars in the parking lot.

"It's not going to be easy," said Ali. "The water was everywhere."

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Muhammad said almost 50 cars in the overflow parking lot were submerged in water after heavy rain. The watershed flows from Crabtree Creek and eventually reaches the Neuse River.

"We didn't know that this is a flooding zone. We just didn't know that," he said.

A few blocks down Capital Boulevard, along the watershed at Saltwater Seafood Market and Fry Shack, torrential rain caused Mike Earp's entire parking lot to flood.

"It was the worst flooding I've ever seen in 15 years," he said.

He showed ABC11 some pictures of the flooding in his parking lot. He said the city required that he install flood gates before opening more than a decade ago.

"All the blue, all the way around, is flood proof. You see the holes right here that I have across the door is where the flood gates would go if I were to put them in place and lock them," said Earp.

The water receded within 20 minutes. The flooding left him with minimal cleanup and no damage.

"You can see all the sand washed up," he said. "That sand is usually not there. My guys were just out there shoveling sand to get that off."