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CBS 2's Alita Guillen, Rob Johnson, Jim Williams and Kristyn Hartman contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ― Deep trouble for people across Chicago, and northwest Indiana Wednesday night. Heavy flooding crippled the roads and some foul water poured into basements, inches deep.

In northwest Indiana, the swollen Little Calumet River has contributed to the mess and as CBS 2's Alita Guillen reports, people were even being evacuated from some homes.

Hundreds of people were dealing with flooded basements; some people had to flee their homes.

At the same time local officials were doing what they can, but even they said they can't work fast enough.

One by one they were rescued from their homes by boat. The Mitchells sported a smile, and like many they were relieved to see the Griffith, Ind., firefighters bring them to dry ground.

Griffith resident Dale Mitchell said, "I hope it goes down so I can get my car."

But not everyone is as light-hearted as the Mitchells. Carl Duney was also evacuated with his elderly mother.

"I didn't want to leave but the kids talked me into it," Ervina Duney said. Their home is underwater; evacuating was only part of what needs to be done.

"I took a pond pump out of my backyard and put it into my basement but I'm still losing ground," Carl Duney said.

People in northern Indiana said the rain came quickly Wednesday-- within two hours the Little Calumet River began to overflow, sewage flooded into basements, and yards turned to lakes.

You wouldn't want to walk the streets of many northwest Indiana towns without boots or hip waders Wednesday as flooding there was widespread and residents will be cleaning up for days, or perhaps even weeks.

The front and back yards of homes appeared more like lakes, covered by three to four feet of flood water. It was a quick flood, surprising local residents.

Griffith resident Rondi Maltrotto said, "I got up early this morning and up until about I want to say 10:30, there was a lot, the front lawn was pretty well covered, but within about an hour's time after that, everything was flooded."

For some, there was no driving on local streets, only boating. And in neighboring Highland, Ind., people were trying to stay ahead of the water by using pumps.

"People aren't just sitting and waiting for the water to go down," said Kim Sefton. "A lot of us that have basements, the water is coming up out of the toilets so there's nothing we can do except keep pumping, keep pumping."

Wednesday afternoon, parents got word their teenagers were coming home from school early because of fears the local high school's roof might collapse.

"I was told from my daughter, she called about quarter after two this afternoon and said that they were worried about the actual roof on the school caving in. I guess in biology class, there was a lot of water damage done," Betty Anderson said.

In Highland, streets were closed early in the day and businesses owners watched helplessly as water destroyed merchandise.

Business owner Karen Scheeringa said, "Some of our computers were destroyed today. We lost information; we put bags of clothing in front of the building so water wouldn't roll in."

The frustration made some compare this to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and lash out at local officials.

Veselin Samardzic said, "They failed this town just like in New Orleans. They knew this was coming, they didn't do nothing."

Along the Little Calumet River, workers laid sand bags. And in Griffith, the Public Works Department worked to reinforce the levee.

Public Works Director Rick Konopasek said, "We are doing everything we can. A mini katrina? I can't argue that, this is an act of God."

Anyone in northwest Indiana who had to leave a pet behind can call the local Humane Society for help at 219-922-3811.

Also, anyone with questions about loved ones or needing help checking on or finding someone can call the Griffith Town Hall at 219-924-7503. People who need a place to stay can go to the Griffith High School gymnasium at 600 N. Wiggs, where the American Red Cross is supplying beds.

School has also been canceled for Thursday in Griffith, and it was possible school would also be closed on Friday.

But northwest Indiana wasn't the only place drenched with heavy flooding.

CBS 2's Rob Johnson reports that on Chicago's South Side, dozens of streets and hundreds of basements were flooded. Chicago likewise has a big cleanup job ahead of it.

In alleys all over the South Side, people were discarding of their runed belongings, damaged by flooded basements. And residents were angry that more wasn't done to stop it from happening.

Crews from Chicago's Water Management Department planned to go door-to-door Wednesday night on the South Side to open manhole covers and check sewer levels. They are responding to some 1,100 reports of flooded basements and 21 flooded viaducts.

Alexis Mims was one of the unfortunate ones counting her losses. "The furniture is ruined. The refrigerator hopefully (is not). I don't know if my washer and dryer are damaged, but I'll soon find out. My furnace, my hot water tank, everything."

There were about two feet of water in the basement, and everything into which the water had seeped was ruined. That included a stereo system.

Mims was not happy not only because of her property loss, but also because as of mid-morning Wednesday, she had not gotten through to city offices that she believed may have been able to help.

"My question is, when is someone coming out to analyze; to take a look at tfhe situation with the viaduct, because the water has backed up from the viaduct into our homes – that's my speculation," Mims said.

Crews from the Water Management Department were trying to fix the situation with backed up sewers.

"It's clogged because of debris as well as the amount of water which had come down this morning," said Water Management Department Deputy Commissioner Tommie Talley.

He said there was a lot of work ahead of his crews, but, "We're up to the task; we'll get it done." Twenty-five to 30 crews were working on the sewers.

City officials said nothing failed, it was just an incredible three inches of rain that fell in a short period of time. "When you have a rain as heavy as this one, there's just nowhere for it to go. No size sewer can accommodate the amount of rain that fell," Water Management Department spokesman Tom LaPorte said.

City officials were also offering some tips for those with flooded basements. If you must go downstairs, wear protective clothing and contact an electrician to shut off the power before going into the water.

Also, at Wednesday's Chicago City Council meeting, Mayor Richard M. Daley introduced an ordinance to improve stormwater management and to reduce the number of sewer overflows into the Chicago River caused by heavy rain.

Meanwhile, the rain fell so fast in Orland Park that it was difficult to tell where the streets ended and the yards began.

In Orland Park, LaGrange Road was closed in several areas due to flooding as of 8:35 a.m. Traffic was being rerouted, but no cars were reported stuck. The intersections of LaGrange Road with 190th, 142nd, and 108th streets were closed for some time.

In Palos Heights, one group of youngsters had to navigate their neighborhood with a raft.

In nearby Palos Park, the viaduct at State Route 83 and Southwest Highway was closed due to standing water. Much of Route 83 was closed earlier Wednesday.

Earlier, Chicago firefighters had to rescue several people from vehicles.

Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said one rescue involved a woman and her baby removed from a car on Paxton Avenue between 94th and 95th streets on the Southeast Side. Langford said no one was injured.

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