- A train station in Uppsala, Sweden flooded after a heavy storm over the weekend.
- Floating on inflatables with scuba masks and water guns, some residents decided to turn the platforms into a swimming pool.
- The city pumped out the water Sunday night, and the station has now returned to normal.
When a city experiences a torrential downpour, it's common for underground subway stations to flood (there's nowhere for the water to go but down).
A train station in downtown Uppsala, Sweden, saw major flooding, due to a heavy storm over the weekend. With flood levels rising knee-deep in some areas, it seemed like it would only be logical to abandon the station until the water drained.
But some residents had a different idea: They turned the train platforms into a massive swimming pool. On Instagram, several people have posted photos of locals relaxing on inflatables, suggesting that there can be plenty of imaginative uses for public spaces - even when they flood.
Tony Svanström, who observed the scene, wrote on Instagram that it wasn't long before security told the floaters to leave. There were reportedly concerns that the water would electrify.
Another man brought goggles and a water gun, in addition to an inflatable. And a woman named Sarah Thorén brought flippers, a scuba mask, and an umbrella. A Stockholm-based outlet called Svenska Dagbladet captured them in the photos below:
Thorén, a photographer, posted a video of what ensured as well:
"I wouldn't say it was the freshest water I've ever bathed in, so I had to have a real scrub in the shower afterwards," she told The Local.
The city pumped out the water Sunday night, and the station has now returned to normal.