LIRR: Port Jeff, Ronkonkoma lines on or close after earlier delays caused by high water

Heavy rains drenched Nassau County during the morning rush hour Tuesday, partially flooding the Long Island Rail Road tracks east of the Westbury station and causing delays of up to 25 minutes on the Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma branches, the railroad said.

Service was back to normal shortly before 11 a.m., the railroad said.

Railroad spokesman Salvatore Arena, reached on a westbound train shortly after 9 a.m., said his train had just passed the flooded area at Urban Avenue and that there was about 18 inches of water on and near the tracks at the deepest point.

"The trains are running at reduced speeds through that area," he said.

"We had flooding here recently when we had a big rain. It looks like a drainage problem, possibly on the street drains," Arena said.

A storm almost two weeks ago, on July 30, caused flooding at Urban Avenue that resulted in a temporary service suspension in both directions during the evening commute, the railroad said at the time.

Some trains were canceled and some delayed more than 40 minutes during and after the nearly half-hour suspension.