NEWS_ARTICLE.RttP{New Bedford needs an ark.}

Extensive flooding is being reported across SouthCoast in the wake of a powerful rain storm that hit the region late this morning.

While the rain had let up significantly by about 12:15 p.m. and the sun even peeked out, from about 11:30 a.m. on, there were numerous reports of motorists stranded in their vehicles by the fast-rising water and at least one report of a vehicle totally submerged on Hillman Street at Route 18 North in New Bedford.

One woman was rescued from her car in the area of Burger King in the city’s South End, police said.

There was also a report at 12:20 p.m. on the police scanner of a person up to his or her waist in water in the Plumbers Landing building on South Water Street.

“It’s unbelievable out here ... unbelievable,” said one of the rescue workers over the airwaves.

Many emergency crews said the waters on local roadways had risen to depths as high as three and four feet before they began to subside.

In New Bedford, a huge sinkhole opened on Malden and Walker Street and a dump truck tipped over on Reed Street, not far from St. Luke's Hospital.

On Elm Street in front of The Standard-Times building, a plume of water rose vertically from a manhole in the center of the street and extended four feet into the air as tons of water cascaded down to Route 18.

Another plume was reported at William and Sixth Streets beside City Hall.

Businesses on Rivet Street were reporting three to four feet of water flooding their basements .

The sudden onset and sheer volume of the downpour overwhelmed public safety officials as calls for help came pouring in from low-lying spots across the city.

One motorist said the main access road into Buttonwood Park on the pond side was a pond itself, under about two feet of water.

Nearby Brownell Avenue was gridlock as drivers tried in vain to get from here to there. Flooding was also reported in the area of CVS and Walgreen's on Kempton Street.

Suburban police were also reporting significant street flooding, especially in the area of Slocum Road in North Dartmouth.

Weather radar showed that a powerful cell which brought thunder and lightning along with torrential rains had temporarily settled over the Faunce Corner area of that town.

According to the National Weather Service, more than 1.8 inches of rain had fallen at the New Bedford Airport by 12:30 p.m.

The rain came down so hard that it turned streets into raging streams and caused some small mudslides on hilly areas.