A video has taken the Internet by storm, showing manhole covers lifting off the ground during heavy rains, igniting fears of an impending storm in the New Orleans area. Residents are fearful, remembering Hurricane Katrina, when manhole covers reportedly floated due to catastrophic flooding that killed nearly 1,400 people and destroyed around 300,000 homes. While some have questioned the video’s authenticity, manhole covers can be displaced during heavy rainfall due to hydraulic pressure buildup in the sewer or drainage system. The city has been inundated with rain over the past week, receiving more than two inches in a single night. Manhole covers, though heavy, are not typically bolted down and can be lifted easily by the force of rising water. Much of New Orleans sits below sea level, making its drainage system heavily reliant on pumps to remove rainwater. When those pumps can't keep up, water backs up, causing street flooding and, in severe cases, forcing manhole covers to pop off.
