Heavy rain causes mudslides, flooding around U.S. capital

A mudslide left debris as high as 5 feet on part of the Capital Beltway.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a city that always seems to be in a hurry, Monday's soggy weather forced a slowdown.
Water and mudslides blocked highways. Commuter rail lines sputtered. Some federal office buildings closed, and other government workers were given liberal leave.
For tourists Sonja Hawn and her two young children, of Laurinsburg, N.C., the intermittent rain after a deluge of up to 10 inches made for a damp 20-minute walk to the National Museum of American History only to find it closed by the weather -- but she took it in stride.
"We're going to make the best of it," Hawn said, adding they would try to visit the National Museum of the American Indian instead.
Although the federal government remained open, floodwaters closed several agency buildings, including Internal Revenue Service headquarters, the Commerce Department, Justice Department and the National Archives -- home to the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and other historic documents.
The National Archives and the IRS will remain closed today. Despite the high water, all records and national treasures remained "safe and dry," spokeswoman Susan Cooper said.
Art museum closes
The National Gallery of Art also was closed because of a failure in the steam system that supplies humidity for its priceless collection. None of the art works was in danger, a spokeswoman said. The National Zoo, which had opened to visitors despite closed parking lots, shut down entirely in the afternoon.
The weather caused a century-old elm tree to fall near the front door of the White House, said Bill Line, a National Park Service spokesman. No White House tours had been scheduled Monday.
Two more inches of rain were expected across the region Monday, and rain is in the forecast every day this week because of a stubborn low-pressure system off the coast.
Drivers were urged to avoid downtown Washington and Harford County, Md., northeast of Baltimore, because of possible mudslides, downed trees and water-covered roads. A single-car crash that killed one person near Bowie, Md., was probably weather-related, said Mark Brady, a Prince George's County fire and rescue spokesman.
Highway closings
A mudslide piled debris as high as 5 feet on a portion of Washington's Capital Beltway. The highway was closed in both directions near Alexandria, Va., for much of the morning.
The Potomac River's Northwest Branch overflowed early Monday, covering U.S. 29, a major commuter route through Silver Spring, Md., with 5 feet of water and leaving a layer of mud that closed nearly a mile of the six-lane highway much of the day.
"I've never seen anything like it," said Wayne A. Mowdy, an assistant district engineer with the state highway administration who has worked in the area for 28 years.
In Elkton, Md., a 6-foot-wide, 2-foot-deep sinkhole opened on I-95, blocking traffic in two northbound lanes, state police said.
Amtrak and CSX service in the area was disrupted. CSX officials said crews were working to repair signals, clear trees and debris, and move stranded freight trains.
Metro subway service in the city was interrupted during the morning commute by high water on the electrified rails, said spokeswoman Candace Smith. Service was restored by noon.
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