First Posted: 3/14/2015
CINCINNATI (AP) — The highest Ohio River levels in two decades caused flooding Saturday that stranded some motorists and forced scattered road, business and campground closures in southern Ohio and Kentucky.
The Belterra Park Gaming racino along the river east of Cincinnati and the Hooters restaurant across the river in Kentucky were among businesses closed Saturday by rising water. West of Cincinnati, Hamilton County authorities closed a road after three people had to be rescued from a vehicle trapped by high water Saturday morning.
The National Weather Service reported Saturday evening that the river had topped 57 feet, or five feet above flood stage. Forecasters expected a crest of about 58 feet by Sunday afternoon; the last time the Cincinnati area saw such levels was in 1997, when the Ohio crested at 64.7 feet and caused severe flooding.
Forecasters said melted snow around the river followed by several rounds of rainfall have caused problems that will linger, even as the rainfall abated.
“It was a cumulative effect,” forecaster Myron Padgett said. “The river was already high, when the heaviest rain fell into the river basin.”
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported the village council of New Richmond, some 20 miles southeast of Cincinnati, Saturday called a state of emergency and was opening the high school as a shelter for anyone wanted to head there.
Hamilton County authorities closed Lawrenceburg Road west of Cincinnati after rescuing three people from a car trapped in high water Saturday morning.
Flood warnings were posted across southern Ohio through Portsmouth and some southeast Ohio campgrounds were closed.
Forecasters also warned of flooding and ice jams in the Black River in north-central Ohio, where the river rose after recent snow melting, and there were weekend flood watches in northeast Ohio.
