[ecomodded]

There may be drainage pipe in place already, if so it may blocked by roots causing an accumulation of dirt/mud in that section, causing the water to build up behind it, in turn flooding your basement.

I would not dig around the basement walls as a first approach, instead hire a plumber to come in with an inspection camera. Be sure to start looking toward the city sewer outlet section first. If it is blocked on city property, They handle the repair.
There is a good chance the block may be there, or in your front yard in the drain pipe leading from the basement.
I recently Know of a guy who paid a bag full of money to dig out his basements drainage pipe. Only to discover it was fine, the blockage was in the front yard, the pipe leading to the city sewer. A stupid simple fix that he missed out on.

Another guy, same neighborhood, hired a plumber to look for the blockage with his snake camera, to wit he found the blockage on city property. The city fixed it, the next day.
They act fast when its on city property and related to water pipes , drainage and sewer.

edit to add:
If your eavestroughs have the drain pipe going down toward the foundation, you can bet you have weeping tiles or drain pipe in place already.