This heavy flooding in a US city has been caused by the fact that a hotel and car park were built over a swamp, locals claim.

They said that ever since the area that was once home to frocks and lizards and other wildlife had been closed over, Walter had never properly drained away, and this was not the first time it flooded.

The heavy rains from 26th December meant that there was flooding over State Route 104 and Dayton Avenue, near the Edmonds-Kingston ferry toll booth, and there was also high water along the waterfront in Edmonds, in the U.S. state of Washington.

Edmonds police spokesperson Sgt. Shane Hawley confirmed that as well as the flooding on Dayton Avenue, they had also received a report of flooding on Highway 99 near 216th Streed Southwest.

The water was reported to be between one and 2 feet deep in some locations.

One online commentator Steve Date said: “20 years ago (or so) when the swamp was filled in to put a hotel and shops on the South side of Dayton, the owners promised to control the flooding of the grocery store parking lot AND Dayton. City sure won that one, right? I have a copy of the Seattle PI with a picture of me kayaking the lot. Things never change.”

And Helen Langvold said: “I guess you can’t always pace over paradise and out up a parking lot. Nature and water seems to have won this one time and time again. The whole area was cattails, frogs, salamanders all kinds of natural wildlife lived there. Very cool time to grow up in Edmonds and scout and learn.”

The video shown here was shared online by Twitter user ‘Karen102192’ who said: “Edmonds today. Stay safe short cars.”