Homes in Preston were flooded in a torrential downpour on Sunday.
Firefighters were called to clear Watery Lane, Hull Street and Travers Place, Ashton, just before 4.10pm.
The pressure from heavy rain caused man-hole covers on the road to burst open.
Father-of-one John Woodrow, 26, of Watery Lane, said: "It happens once or twice a year.
"The man-hole covers just seem to go and get pushed up and the water shoots up about four foot."
Grandmother-of-two Susan Woodhead, of Hull Street, said: "It wasn't as bad this time as it has been before.
"Water definitely got into a house across the road from me so it will have ruined the floor.
"Luckily the couple had just moved out because they got so fed up of it."
The Met Office said a flash warnings of severe or extreme weather had been issued for the county.
The spokesman said: "There will be rain and thunderstorms breaking which will carry on into the evening and they will die out overnight.
"Some places will miss them and stay dry. However, in areas affected, 20 to 40mm of rain is likely in three hours or less."
Slow moving thunderstorms developed throughout the afternoon and moved from South Ribble to Preston.
A father-of-two, from Longton, who asked not to be named, said: "It was like a monsoon for about half-an-hour.
"We've been mopping out the conservatory because it's two inches under water."
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