Storms cause stir at the Alabama State House

Picture #1: Dark clouds over the Alabama Capitol
Picture #2: Flooding at the entrance of the Alabama State House
Picture #3: Representatives working in the dark in the House of Representatives
Picture #4: Representative Chris England having to take the stairs

This morning the Alabama House of Representatives and Senate convened at 10:00 pm CST. By 10:30 both houses stood in recess due to intense flooding on the basement and first level of the state house, as well as flooding in the member and employee parking decks.

Senator Harri Anne Smith reported that her new car had flooding to the steering wheel at 10:30 and there were reports of floating cars in both the employee parking deck and on McDowell Lee Road just outside of the state house.

The power was shut off just after 11:00 am and those inside of the building were told not to use the elevator for safety reasons. Derek Hamilton, Chief Sargent at Arms for the Alabama State House, reported that there was four feet of water in the boiler room, saying it is the worst flooding he has seen his sixteen years at the state house.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Alabama State House.