UPDATED: Flash Flooding Delays School, Drowns Cars, Snarls Traffic

Heavy rains that were reportedly dumping more than two inches of rain per hour on parts of Marblehead and Swampscott this morning prompted local officials to issue a warning to town residents.

If you don't need to be on the roads, stay off of them.

The flooding was enough for public school officials to delay the start of school this morning by two hours.

Rush-hour traffic was bumper to bumper along Humphrey and Pleasant streets as residents tried to make their way to work.

Police in Swampscott and Marblehead have waded into deep water to extricate many motorists from submerged vehicles. The town's Water Department has employees out on the roads clearing storm drains.

According to the National Weather Service, Marblehead received 3.4 inches of rain in the downpour.

Marblehead police closed Leggs Hill Road after deeming it impassable. Three vehicles were left abandoned on the roadway.

Firefighters are working to drain the basement of on Washington Street, which is under more than a foot of water.

Workers were busy this afternoon cleaning out businesses in the lower level of Village Plaza, including Dunkin' Donuts, Village Pharmacy, Sunshine Laundry and Marblehead Village Market.

Fire officials said they ares still responding to more than "nine pages" of reports concering flooded homes and driveways.

Reports in Marblehead:

• At 5:37 a.m., police and fire units responded to Dartmouth Road for a report of a house struck by lightning. The caller told police that he heard what sounded like a lightning strike and "stuck his head in the attic" and smelled smoke. Firefighters found "slight burning" in an interior wall but were able to put it out.
• At 6:40 a.m., a Haley Road resident called police to report that their road had been flooded.
• At 6:49 a.m., a local resident called police to report that a car was "dead in the water" in front of the
• At 6:56 a.m., police received word that a car at the intersection of Jersey and Sewall streets had become stuck under water.
• At 6:58 a.m., police received a report from a resident on Cornell Road that the water was up to her waist in her basement and she was unable to clear a nearby storm drain.
• At 6:58 a.m., police responded to a car under water on McKinley Road.
• At 7:11 a.m., police responded to a report of a car stuck in a puddle at the intersection of Greystone Road and Atlantic Avenue.
• At 7:20 a.m., police received word that a car was stuck in a puddle on Higgins Road.
• At 7:36 a.m., police responded to a report of a vehicle stuck under water on Village Street.
• At 7:43 a.m., a Hawkes Street resident called police to report that a motorcycle had tipped over in the flood and was leaking gasoline. The man said he was "afraid the gas will flood into his basement and his house will explode."
• At 8:00 a.m., a Countryside Lane resident called police to report that water flooding their backyard was coming toward their house.
• At 8:00 a.m., local police officers responded to a report of a disabled motor vehicle on Pitman Road.
• At 8:11 a.m., local police responded to a report of a smoking car at the intersections of Mohawk and Higgins roads.
• At 8:22 a.m., a Jersey Street resident called police to report water going into their furnace.
• At 9:11 a.m., local police responded to a report of a disabled motor vehicle on Atlantic Avenue.
• At 10:37 a.m., local police received word that there was an abandoned car in the intersection of Colgate and Cornell roads.

Do you have flood photos? Let us know in the comments section, attach them to this report or send them to owen.boss@patch.com.

Marblehead Patch will be adding to this story as information becomes available.