WASHINGTON, 27 June 2006 — Torrents of rain inundated the Washington, D.C. region Sunday night, turning roads into rivers, plunging over one hundred thousand homes across the region into darkness, flooding homes. Forecasters warned the storms wouldn’t be ending any time soon.

“This is the worse flooding we’ve had in over 40 years,” said the Arlington County worker who came to this correspondent’s home earlier today. The county, she said, had simply been unable to pump away the excess water, which resulted in sewer lines backing up and overflowing into houses throughout the area.

A storms reached a crescendo last night after a rain-soaked weekend, it became clear that — five years after 9/11 — the Washington area is unprepared for such levels of regional disasters that overwhelm the infrastructure.

Even with the assistance of MCI, the local telephone carrier, this correspondent was unable to reach “911,” the emergency telephone number for over 20 minutes. Telephone calls to the Arlington Country water services, and the local police stations also went unanswered

Residents now wonder that if the Washington, D.C. area is unprepared when flooding occurs — what, God forbid, would happen to the nation’s capital during a calamity?

As a result of the heavy flooding, Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor service between Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., was temporarily disrupted early yesterday due to high water and washout conditions along tracks stemming from the weekend’s heavy rainfall. Only limited service had resumed between Washington and Philadelphia early yesterday.

Even the Metro subway service in the city was disrupted because of high water on the electrified rails downtown, said Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein.

“Riders should bring an umbrella and a bucket full of patience,” Farbstein said.

Drivers weren’t having much more luck. Underpasses were flooded, and on the Capital Beltway, a mudslide piled five feet of debris on the roadway near Alexandria, Va., backing up traffic.

Transportation crews were working to open at least some lanes for the morning commute but warned of long delays, said Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Joan Morris.

The flooding in Washington kept government tax collectors and federal agents away from work, and closed the home of the Declaration of Independence.

At the White House, a large tree fell over on the president’s lawn, and the Justice Department was closed yesterday because its building had no power.

With as much as 7 inches of rain having fallen since Sunday, flooded basements or electrical problems forced the closure of the Internal Revenue Service headquarters. Researchers and tourists were asked not to visit the National Archives after workers discovered the moat surrounding their building on Pennsylvania Avenue had flooded, spokesman Susan Cooper said. Preliminary assessment indicates all records and treasures are “safe and dry.”

Even the North Parking lot of the Pentagon was closed due to extensive rainfall.

In a notice sent out by email this morning, the Department of Defense directed people to different parking areas, announcing there was even “minor flooding at Corridor 8” which “is closed until further notice.

There is some standing high water on roads adjoining the Pentagon Reservation and inbound motorists should proceed with caution.”