03-20-2008, 12:10 PM
|
 |
Congressman
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2008
Userid: 464 Location: Scotland
Posts: 754
Rep Power: 1
|
|
Deadly Storms and Flooding Head East
This sounds like a national disaster, but I think no one has posted about it... a dozen people dead? Anyone affected by it? I can think of at least one of us who lives in this area...
Weather aficionados...Is this a spin-off from the recent tornadoes?
Quote:
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Residents warily watched as rivers continued to rise Thursday from heavy storms that dumped as much as a foot of rain in the Midwest and left behind more than a dozen deaths.
Heavy rains hammered the central U.S. with as much as a foot of rain in recent days, leaving more than a dozen people dead. Much of Ohio was under a flood warning Thursday.
While the first day of spring brought much needed sunshine Thursday to Ohio and other states, authorities warned that many rivers would crest well above flood stage.
Flooding also was reported Wednesday in parts of Arkansas, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky.
On Thursday morning, high water closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 — a major east-west highway — for about 4 miles in central Ohio's Licking County, the State Highway Patrol said.
Morning commuters trying to reach downtown Columbus from the south were being detoured off heavily-traveled U.S. 23, because its northbound lanes were flooded at Interstate 270.
Cincinnati picked up 4.7 inches of rain and then traces of snow on Wednesday. The area recovered quickly from two days of heavy rain, said Mike Mantel, director of the Service Dept. in Miami Township, east of Cincinnati. One township road closed Wednesday because of high water was reopened Thursday, and streams were receding, he said.
"We're in really good shape, considering the rainfall we had," Mantel said.
Days of rain turned the Midwest into a soggy mess, flooding roads, stranding motorists and displacing residents — with a cleanup bill likely to run in the millions.
President Bush declared a major disaster in Missouri on Wednesday night and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in areas affected by flooding. Seventy counties and the city of St. Louis also are eligible for federal funding for emergency protective measures.
Much of Ohio was under a flood warning Thursday, with some areas cautioned to watch for flash floods. Most of southwest Ohio had received more than 4 inches of rain, and officials in Butler County declared a state of emergency because of the rising waters.
Flooding along the Scioto River in Pickaway, Ross and Pike counties was expected to be the worst since January 2005. The river near Circleville was expected to remain over the 14-foot flood stage through Sunday, and Pickaway County authorities asked the Red Cross to prepare shelters for possible flood victims.
In Findlay in northwest Ohio, authorities closed off streets Wednesday after the Blanchard River had once again gone over the 11-foot flood level — the 10th time it has done so in the last 15 months. The National Weather Service predicted the river would crest Thursday afternoon at 12.3 feet.
The Ohio River at Cincinnati was expected to rise about 2 feet above flood stage by Friday. In nearby Whitewater Township, rescue workers with boats helped 16 people to safety and urged 40 to 45 more families to leave their homes.Deadly Storms and Flooding Head East - AOL News
|
|
Linear Mode
