MADISON, Ind. (WDRB) — The picturesque river town of Madison, Indiana, is among the latest communities feeling the impact of severe flooding along the Ohio River.
Rising water has swallowed parts of the city near downtown, including a public playground where only the tops of stop signs remain visible. Emergency officials say water levels have yet to crest.
“This is about a foot lower than what we saw in 1997,” said Jeff True, Director of Jefferson County, Indiana Emergency Management.
City and county crews have been working around the clock and expect to remain fully staffed through the weekend.
Crews were seen moving barricades closer to the riverbank Wednesday afternoon as water continued to rise. A shelter has been opened for residents displaced by the flooding, though only one family has used it so far.
“We’ve had to shut a lot of things down,” True said. “There are a lot of people isolated by the river because the water levels have gotten to the point where we just can’t deal with it anymore.”
Despite the flooding, most businesses in Madison’s downtown district remain open and are operating on regular hours.
Dan and Robin Rateau were visiting from Wisconsin and while they have been to Madison before, the river looked much different.
“It’s still bad, it’s too bad for the people that live here and the homes,” Robin Rateau said. “I mean, it’s more surprising I think when you see it in person.”
Emergency management officials expect the river to begin receding Thursday night, but say the cleanup could take months.
