After a downpour in Parkersburg, West Virginia, water covered parts of the roadway, and a video from the scene shows motorists still trying to get through.
The clip underscores how fast familiar streets can turn risky during flooding, with some vehicles unable to make it through.
Here's what to know
Dig Doug's Artifacts (@digdoug236) filmed vehicles moving across a street covered by rainwater.
Some made it through the flooded section, but at least one appeared to end up stranded.
Throughout the clip, the person filming reacts to the rising water and questions whether the crossings are safe, giving the footage a sense of warning rather than spectacle.
@digdoug236 Navigating flooded areas in town after an intense heavy rain hit Parkersburg, West Virginia. Many people found themselves having to go through high water, and some got stuck like you seen in this video. #flood #floodwater #flashflooding #severeweather #weathertok ♬ original sound - Dig Doug's Artifacts
Commenters also pointed to the danger.
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One wrote, "What's messed up is driving through it, right by the guy and creating waves around him. How hard is it to go a different route?"
Another focused on the likely damage to the vehicles, saying, "There's definitely water in the differential and transmission."
Even when a road looks passable, standing water can conceal curbs, debris, potholes, or damaged pavement. What seems manageable from behind the wheel can become expensive, or even life-threatening, in a matter of seconds.
More background
Street flooding like this can occur when rain falls faster than drainage systems can handle.
Whether the cause is flash flooding, clogged drains, or overwhelmed stormwater infrastructure, the result for drivers is often the same: limited visibility, uncertain road conditions, and a high chance of getting stuck.
Flood safety is also a matter of public health, community safety, and economic stability.
The disruption can be immediate. A flooded commute can mean a totaled car, lost wages, delayed medical care, or danger for anyone trying to help stranded drivers. Even without physical injury, the financial and emotional aftermath can be serious.
These risks do not always play out during dramatic river floods or major coastal storms. Sometimes they happen on an ordinary local street people know well.
What can be done?
For drivers, the safest move is often the simplest: avoid floodwater altogether and find another route. If water is covering the road and the depth is unclear, turning around is far less risky than trying to make it through.
People can prepare in advance by keeping their phones charged, knowing alternate routes, and reviewing their insurance coverage for flood-related vehicle damage. Those steps will not stop a storm, but they can help reduce the financial and personal fallout when severe weather strikes.
And when someone is already stranded, nearby drivers should avoid creating wakes by passing through the water. Doing so can make an already dangerous situation worse.
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