JACKSON, Ohio (WSAZ) -- Some of the heaviest rain Tuesday night hit Jackson County, where intense flash floods led to water rescues by the dozens.

WSAZ.com surveyed the flooding aftermath Wednesday -- damage that went way beyond the usual high water areas.

Places in downtown Jackson and around the county that usually don't flood during heavy rains were submerged after the dinnertime deluge -- putting multiple water rescue units to work.

And the day after, the recovery and cleanup was overwhelming.

Carol Thomas and her mother Barbara were among the 100 people evacuated and/or rescued from in and around downtown Jackson’s Apple Village apartment complex.

Thomas says a flash-flooded Huron Street poured into hers and about 20 other apartment without warning.

“It got into our home very fast, flooded our vehicles, and we had no way out," she said.

EMA Director Robert Czechlewski said 5.5 inches of rain fell in a few hours.

"We had roads, bridges, culverts -- everything with high water -- and so many responders in rescue boats," Czechlewski said.

The emergency management director says they haven't seen high water of this magnitude in Jackson County since 1997.

WSAZ.com's Randy Yohe rode with an emergency vehicle to get to some hard hit southern county townships. He found Julie and Robert Puckett needed some heavy equipment to get the 3 feet of mud out of their basement

“All in just 10 minutes (it happened)," Robert Puckett said. "I've seen flooding, but nothing like this.”

The local American Red Cross kicked into full gear, offering fully equipped clean-up kits for the dozens of hard hit home and business owners.

They’ve declared a state of emergency in Jackson County -- where assessment teams started the long process Wednesday of documenting the damages.

Clean-up kits are available at the Jackson City Fire Department.