Like other northern states in the USA, Ohio has seen a fair amount of flooding over the last few days after a spell warmer weather and rainfall.
Snow melt, rain hitting frozen ground, drainage blocked by ice and ice jams on rivers are all adding to the flooding woes around the state.
Emergency Management Agency officials are keeping a close eye on an ice jam that could pose a problem to residents along the Maumee River.
An ice jam in the Maumee River said to be about a mile long is causing some concern. The ice jam lies just outside Grand Rapids in Henry County, and formed a few weeks ago. Recent warmer weather has melted some of the ice, raising the potential for flooding. One local report says there has already been some flooding as a result of the ice jam in the counties of Defiance, Henry and Wood.
In Perrysburg Township, Wood County, Ohio, dozens of homes suffered damage from rising flood waters in the area. Basements were said to be under several feet of water, while outside, the local streets were under 12 inches (30cm) of water.
According to local media, some local residents said that, although they are quite familiar with floods, this was some of the worst flooding to hit the area. Thanks to frozen ground and frozen drainage channels, the water has no place to go than onto the streets and into homes and buildings.
In Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, there is a similar story of snow melt and rain bringing floods, this time completely inundating the Mt. Zion Rd, leaving some residents cut off. According to local media, some residents are expecting the flood water to remain for as long as 7 more days.
In Toledo, Ohio, heavy rain caused flooding of some residential streets. Storm drains are blocked with ice, and many of the streets are still lined with snow, blocking the path of the flood water.
In Berlin Township, Erie County, Ohio, one woman was stranded in her car overwhelmed by flood waters and needed to be rescued. Around a dozen streets had to be closed as a result of flooding.
In Milan, a concern now is the levels of the Huron River, which was blocked by ice, forcing water to back up. In Vermillion, the Vermilion River is causing similar concerns, where, according to one report “a monstrous ice jam had formed at Mill Hollow, with water still pushing through at about 30 times the regular rate”.
#VermilionRiver ice jam. pic.twitter.com/5McUmkYmci
— Rick Payerchin (@MJ_JournalRick) February 22, 2014
In Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio, the Chagrin River started to melt on Friday 21 February 2014, and rose to 13.6 feet by 5 p.m. causing several roads to flood and creating a massive ice jam. Officials have closed Daniels Park and several roads in the area as a precaution. The local police department have sent out flood warnings (via reverse 911). According to this report, some residents have already voluntarily left their homes as a safety precaution.
