Wilmington

Emergency officials warn Wilmington residents of flash flooding as ice jam breaks on Kankakee River

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Residents near the Kankakee River are under a flood warning as water levels continue to rise as snow and ice melts, NBC Chicago’s Vi Nguyen reports.

Emergency officials in Will County are warning residents along the Kankakee River of flooding as a broken ice jam has caused water levels to rapidly rise.

The area is under a flood warning, with rain adding to the melting snow and ice from last week's snowfall.

With his spotlight in hand, Joe Broadwell has been keeping a close eye on the Kankakee River from his backyard in Wilmington.

“I’ve been watching the river making sure it doesn’t stop, a lot of chunks coming through as you could see its going fast and it’s going far,” he said.

He lives on Cottage Road right across the street from the Dresden Cooling Lake where warm water is being pumped into the river to try to break up the ice.

“When you see the water stops that’s when it rises really quickly and you better get out,” he said. “I have my truck here on standby and if I have to leave I have to leave.”

Wilmington and Will County emergency officials are warning residents to be prepared and ready to evacuate if things get bad.

“Our big concern right now is safety for the residents we really want to make sure they’re aware of what’s happening with the river and the changing conditions,” said Tom Murray, Will County Emergency Agency’s Chief Deputy Director.

Ice spotters have been out checking conditions on the river to see if there’s been any changes with the water levels given the warmer temperature, rainfall, and moisture.

“It’s really hard to say how fast it could move,” said Murray. “At any given time the ice can break up and move downstream so it’s really hard to predict that.”

Officials said there’s seven to eight mile stretch of ice that they’re worried about. The jam grew ten miles within two to three days, which they said is highly unusual. Firefighters on standby for any rescues in the coming days.

“The only rescue we had to make was a week ago last Monday from a resident who woke up to several feet of water around his home and then helped another resident in the immediate area evacuate their two vehicles and themselves from their residence,” said Todd Friddle, Wilmington Fire Protection District Deputy Chief. “

A couple hundred homes could be impacted by flash flooding, including the Phelan Acres Community. Emergency officials said all they could do now is wait to see what happens next.

“All we could do is prepare and make sure everybody is safe during and after it,” said Dennis Housman, Wilmington Emergency Services & Disaster Agency Director.

A flash flood warning remains in effect until Monday morning. If needed, residents can stop by Wilmington City Hall to fill up sandbags to protect their homes.

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