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January 10, 2008

Officials keep an eye on rising water

No problems reported yet in Danville

BY ANNA HERKAMP

DANVILLE — Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Fisher kept his eye on a few flood-prone spots in the county Wednesday, but no big problems had arisen.

“We’ve had some flooding issues we’ve been monitoring,” he said.

In Danville, the areas included Ellsworth Park and the Morin addition off West Williams Street.

The area of most concern in the county was near Bismarck and Alvin, where there are several low-lying areas, he said.

“We called and talked to the Red Cross to arrange for any kind of sheltering people might need,” he said.

“Right now, we’ve been pretty lucky, and we encourage anyone with any concerns or questions to call (the office),” he said.

The Vermilion County EMA office can be reached at 443-6010.

A few people in the Bismarck area voluntarily left their homes by Wednesday, Fisher said. Most were staying with family who live nearby, he added.

Fisher advised area residents who live in flood-prone areas to keep a watch out and be aware of flood warnings.

The last he heard, flood waters should have crested by noon today.

Other areas the office was watching included the Middle Fork at Kickapoo and Kennekuk parks and the Salt Fork in the Shangri-La area.

Rankin and Hoopeston are the areas hardest hit with rain, he said.

Sheriff Pat Hartshorn said Wednesday afternoon his office had not received any notification of problem areas in the county or flooded roads.

In a statement released earlier in the day, Fisher said some roads had been temporarily closed earlier in the week.

State disaster

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office also released a statement about state efforts on behalf of Iroquois County.

The governor declared Iroquois and Livingston counties state disaster areas due to severe flooding that forced more than 350 people from their homes and made roads impassable.

The Illinois EMA coordinated state assistance requests in Watseka.

Early Wednesday, six IDNR officers using four boats evacuated some 200 residents from flooded neighborhoods in Watseka.

Also Wednesday, an Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics helicopter went to Watseka to monitor flood conditions from the air.

IDNR boat patrols continued into the evening Wednesday.

IDNR Conservation Police were transporting personnel from Nicor gas company to areas where gas needed to be shut off.

Also Wednesday, the state sent 10,000 sandbags to Mahomet to help the community battle floodwaters.

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