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.. ""- , The Denver Post Online: Today's News Page 2 of3 . Police reopened the highway about 6:55 p,m. to the cheers of20 or so spectators who had gathered on the overpass, The rain began causing traffic problems as early as 3 p.m., Hopkins said, when heavy rains caused flooding on 1-25 between Castle Rock and Surrey Ridge. At 7 p.m., the wet roads may have contributed to a four-car fender- bender that caused minor damage to Aurora Mayor Paul Tauer's 1997 Nissan Maxima. In the Denver area, flooding was reported at several spots, including the intersection of East Alameda A venue and South Colorado Boulevard, southern sections of Santa Fe Drive, and parts of Monaco Parkway. The Denver Fire Department sent water rescue crews to at least three locations, including 1- 25 and Logan. ""It was just like a lake," said underwater rescue unit Lt Phil Miller. He said the water was cold but not rushing on 1-25 where his crew used a raft to evacuate the stranded motorists. Miller said the rescue of a stranded kayaker on the South Platte River was more difficult than efforts on 1-25 because an aerial harness had to be used. Elsewhere, water 3 to 4 feet deep ran down some streets in the town of Security, a few miles south of Colorado Springs, after 3 inches of rain fell there in 2" hours, officials said. . One home was destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning, and fire department officials said they had received at least eight calls for flooded basements. Rock and mud slides closed one lane of westbound 1-70 in Mount Vernon Canyon, and a slide in Black Hawk filled a casino parking lot with mud and sent debris into the town's main street In the Big Thompson River Canyon near Drake, Colorado 34 was closed for an hour due to a traffic accident and downed power lines from the heavy rains, The National Weather Service reported heavy rain all over the state, including 6 inches in parts of Park, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. Marble-size hail also fell in parts of Colorado, and tornado warnings were issued for Bent and Kiowa counties. Officials reported no storm-related injuries. Thursday's downpour followed a storm Saturday that dropped 6 inches of rain on Denver, which also closed 1-25 at the Logan overpass. ""The problem is that we have a very old drainage system under 1- 25," Hopkins said. ""It's really inadequate for today's needs." . He said the system is 40 years old and can get backed up because the water has nowhere else to go because of all the neighboring development ""There is relief on the way," Hopkins said, in the form of$IO million http://www.denverpostcom/news/news0731f.htm 7/31/98