COLUMBUS – Flooding is expected to continue through the weekend in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and other Midwest states that have been swamped by high water from heavy rains and melting snow.
UPDATE (2/23/18 7:52 a.m.) Flood Warning continues for the Scioto River at Circleville until further notice. At 4 AM the stage was 14.1′ feet. Flood stage is 15′. The river will rise above flood stage late Friday morning and continue to rise to near 22′ by Monday morning. The river will then begin falling, but remain above flood stage for the next 5 days. At stages near 23′ feet, significant flooding occurs, especially to the west and north of Circleville. Moderate flooding occurs along Mill and Canal Roads, as well as Island Road and SR 762. Backwater flooding affects areas along Big Darby Creek, especially near the Old Shady Acres Mobile Home Park. High water overtakes much of Cooks Creek Golf Course. Circleville itself would not flood until a stage of 30 feet. -National Weather Service
A flood watch has been posted for parts of Ohio, including Franklin, Fairfield, Licking, Madison and Pickaway counties in central Ohio, through Sunday morning with total rainfall amounts expected to be in the 3 to 5-inch range.
[4:30 AM] The flood watch has been expanded to now include the entire area. More excessive rain expected today through late tonight. ADDITIONAL rainfall of 2 to 3 inches will be possible during this period. Stay weather-aware through tonight as the active period continues! pic.twitter.com/NZUuM39xHz
— NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) February 24, 2018
Weather forecasters projected the Ohio River would soon reach levels not seen since the region’s deadly floods two decades ago.
The National Weather Service said the river topped 56 feet Friday in the Cincinnati area, 4 feet above flood stage. Forecasters expect it to reach 59.4 feet by Tuesday morning. That would be the highest since 64.7 feet during 1997 floods that claimed more than two dozen lives, most of them in Kentucky.
Forecasters were also monitoring conditions at the Scioto River, Great Miami and other river areas across the region.
New Richmond’s village council declared a state of emergency, telling the 2,600 residents to comply with instructions from emergency personnel. The mayor also urged residents to secure property, make living arrangements for themselves and their pets, and to pay close attention to forecasts.
Farther east, the city of East Liverpool advised people living in flood-prone areas to find another place to stay by Sunday night.
Evacuations grew across the Midwest after heavy rains and snowmelt sent rivers and streams out of their banks.
Officials in South Bend, northern Indiana’s largest city, were forced to shut down its wastewater treatment plant as it was swamped by flooding from a record-high river crest.
About 19 people had been evacuated from homes in Elkhart, Ind., where emergency crews used boats and an armored vehicle to respond
In Michigan, states of emergency were declared in the Lansing area as officials recommended the evacuations of several neighborhoods. Flooding also hit nearby Michigan State University.
A washout from heavy rains may have caused two freight train engines to derail near Grand Rapids.
In Illinois, authorities issued an evacuation order Wednesday for residents in the city of Marseilles who live near the Illinois River. The fear of rising water along the river forced the evacuation late Tuesday of the LaSalle County Nursing Home in Ottawa.
Two days of rain in southern Wisconsin swelled waterways, leading to a handful of high-water rescues for people stranded in their vehicles.
More than a dozen students were rescued after their school bus drove off the road and got stuck in floodwaters in Arkansas, where strong winds toppled power lines and damaged buildings.