Federal buildings closed by flooding

More heavy rain is expected on the Eastern Seaboard.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Workers pumped water from the IRS headquarters' flooded basement Tuesday and mopped up at other government buildings Monday after heavy rain swamped the nation's capital.
A brief break from the two-day deluge gave crews a chance to reopen commuter routes and set up sandbags to prevent more water from getting inside buildings.
More than 7 inches of rain fell on the nation's capital in a 24-hour period Sunday and Monday, shutting down several federal buildings and closing some of the city's busiest tourist attractions just days before the Fourth of July weekend
Forecasters warned that more rain is likely every day this week.
In downtown Washington, the Justice Department, the IRS and the National Archives -- where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were safe under glass -- were among several buildings still closed because of flooding or other storm-related problems. Some streets were also shut down because water from the flooded buildings was being pumped into the city sewers.
None of the flooded buildings had structural damage, but water in the basements damaged air-conditioning, wiring and other building systems, said Mike McGill, a spokesman for the General Services Administration, which manages federal buildings.
Officials at the Justice Department said it could take a week to clean up and reopen the building.
The storm also toppled a 100-year-old elm tree on the White House lawn Monday.
No respite
Flood warnings and watches remained in effect Tuesday along the Eastern Seaboard, and the National Weather Service warned that some places could get up to 8 inches rain.
In Pennsylvania, countless small streams and creeks overflowed their banks. The weather service predicted severe flooding along the Philadelphia area's Schuylkill River by this afternoon.
In Alexandria, Va., officials urged residents and businesses to prepare for high water on the Potomac River. Rescuers searched for an 8-year-old girl swept away by floodwaters in Alleghany County.
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