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ROADS TURNED INTO RIVERS... PARKS TURNED INTO LAKES.
FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS, HEAVY RAINS HAVE PELTED SOUTHEAST OHIO, CAUSING EXCESSIVE GROUND SATURATION
AND FLASH FLOODING. THE SUNDAY CREEK SPILLED OVER ITS BANKS IN
TRIMBLE CAUSING OVER A FOOT OF WATER TO FLOOD THE ROADWAY.
AND JUST TO THE NORTH IN THE VILLAGE OF GLOUSTER, A PARK NORMALLY FILLED WITH CHILDREN IS FILLED
WITH GARBAGE AND OTHER FLOATING DEBRIS. BUT DESPITE THE DISHEARTENING SCENE, IT'S
NOT AN UNCOMMON OCCURENCE. "We get flooding like this usually yearly."
GLOUSTER POLICE OFFICER RYAN NAGUCKI SAYS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HE'S SEEN WORSE DURING
HIS TIME IN THE VILLAGE. "We've had it a lot worse where it's shut
down the whole highway and all the way downtown has been flooded."
GLOUSTER MEMORIAL PARK WAS ONE OF THE WORST-HIT AREAS.
IT'S BASEBALL DIAMONDS AND PICNIC SHELTERS ARE ALMOST COMPLETELY UNDERWATER.
AS THE FLOOD WATER CREEPS TOWARD THE ROADWAY, EMERGENCY OFFICIALS WORK TOGETHER TO RE-ROUTE
TRAFFIC. "We work with the Fire Department and O-DOT
and the Highway Patrol and our local Street Department on road closures to see what roads
need to be closed and if we have to make some rescues."
NAGUCKI SAYS SO FAR NOBODY HAS HAD TO BE RESCUED WITHIN THE VILLAGE.
HOWEVER LESS THAN A MILE NORTH OF TOWN, THE HIGHWAY PATROL RESCUED A MAN WHO BECAME TRAPPED
IN THE HIGH WATER ON STATE ROUTE 13. NAGUCKI SAYS, THAT RESCUE COULD HAVE BEEN
EASILY AVOIDED. "Make sure if you see the road closure signs,
don't try to go through any high water whatsoever. It's dangerous, your car gets stuck and you
put other peoples lives at risk when you ignore those signs."
MORE RAIN IS EXPECTED THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. A FLASH FOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH
OF THE REGION UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING. AS FOR GLOUSTER MEMORIAL PARK, IT WILL REMAIN
CLOSED UNTIL THE WATER RECEEDS AND A FULL CLEAN UP IS PERFORMED.
"We have a lot of local volunteersthat have been working in the area and kid groups that
are going to help us clean up and pick up trashand just try to make the park a better
place again." IN GLOUSTER REPORTING FOR WOUB NEWS, I'M GABE
ROSS