By MARK GILLISPIE, Associated Press and staff reports
COLUMBUS – By the end of a soggy weekend, local streams and rivers overflowing their banks have caused road closings throughout central and southern Ohio and the Ohio River rose to its highest level in over two decades.
Here is video from our drone flight of the Scioto River over flowing its banks south of St. Rt. 104 near Haul Rd. The @ColumbusPolice Impound Lot is to the upper left. pic.twitter.com/Z5hae2pzLL
— Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (@OHFCSO) February 25, 2018
Republican Gov. John Kasich issued an emergency declaration Saturday in 17 southern and eastern counties. Kasich in a briefing Sunday at the state’s emergency operations center said preparations by local and state officials ahead of heavy rains and expected flooding helped Ohio “dodge a bullet” with no loss of life reported to this point.
Kasich pointed to his order five days ago to activate 40 soldiers from an Ohio National Guard engineering company to raise floodgates along the Ohio River in Portsmouth.
The state transportation department tweeted Sunday that 48 state, U.S. routes and interstates were closed or restricted due to flooding.
High water closed roadways and ramps in southern Franklin County and in Pickaway County, including U.S. Route 23 at I-270 on the South Side and the ramps at the interchange (pictured, right).
The Pickaway County Engineer closed Canal Road between State Route 104 and Mill Road Sunday afternoon due to high water and State Route 762 was closed between U.S. Route 23 and State Route 104.
Heavy rains overnight sent the swollen Ohio River at Cincinnati to its highest point in 20 years Sunday with the river expected to remain above flood stage through the end of the week, a National Weather Service meteorologist said Sunday.
Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain fell across the region from Saturday night into early Sunday morning accompanied by damaging high winds and an unconfirmed report of a tornado in Brown County.
Meteorologist Kristen Cassady said the Ohio River reached 60 feet Sunday morning at its Cincinnati recording station, 8 feet above flood stage, and could reach 60.6 feet, which would be the highest recordings since 1997, when the river reached 64.7 feet.
The Cincinnati Enquirer has reported Cincinnati police had to rescue numerous drivers whose vehicles became trapped in flood waters.
The Ohio River is expected to begin slowly receding Sunday, but will likely to remain above flood stage until the end of the week, fed by its numerous tributaries, Cassady said.
“The good news is the rain is done and we’ll have a couple of dry days for that water to recede,” she said.
Another weather system is expected to bring rain during the middle of the week.
A flood advisory for part of central Ohio was canceled Sunday afternoon but flood warnings continued for the Scioto River at Circleville until late Wednesday night and for the Big Darby Creek at Darbyville until Tuesday evening.
The Scioto River was nearly 3 feet above flood stage Sunday night and was expected to continue rising and not fall below flood stage before midnight Wednesday. Flooding is expected to continue until Thursday afternoon.
The Big Darby Creek was expected to continue rising to more than 2 feet above flood stage by early Monday before falling below flood stage Tuesday afternoon. Flooding is expected to continue until Tuesday evening.
Roughly 20 miles east of Cincinnati along the Ohio, more than 40 homes and businesses have been affected by flooding in low-lying portions of the village. Residents began evacuating Friday into Saturday.
“A few people had to move quickly when the river level came up sooner and faster than originally forecast,” Village Administrator Greg Roberts said. “Friends and family pulled together.”
Rain forecast for later in the week will keep officials and emergency personnel in the village of around 2,600 people on high alert, he said.
“We’re going to remain vigilant until the river gets back to where it belongs,” Roberts said.
Ohio University in Athens canceled classes for Monday because of concerns about potential flooding in the Hocking River.
In Springfield Township in central Ohio’s Clark County, two donkeys had to be rescued from a field flooded with 4 feet of water, The Springfield News-Sun reported.
Pike County in southern Ohio was preparing for flooding Sunday after the Scioto River rose 2 feet above its 20-foot flood stage, according to The Chillicothe Gazette.
At least five people were reported dead on Sunday after severe thunderstorms swept through the central U.S., spawning a tornado that flattened homes, gale force winds and widespread flooding from Texas to the Canadian Maritime provinces.