With water levels high, the Ohio River cresting this past weekend and additional threats of rain late Tuesday evening, there are additional concerns of flooding.
According to Andy Ball, director of the Daviess County Emergency Management Agency, ground flooding is not the most immediate concern.
“The big concern I have for us is flash flooding,” Ball said. “It is a big concern in the evenings — driving in the dark — when signs have not been posted yet.”
Ball said that with the ground saturated, and water collecting in ditches, there is nowhere else for the water to go but over the road.
“It only takes two feet of water to sweep a car off the road,” Ball said. “There’s a difference between flooding and flash flooding — people don’t think clearly and can get themselves in trouble.”
Ball said the best way to avoid danger with flash flooding is to take your time and look ahead, especially on roads that are unfamiliar.
Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency advise drivers to pay attention to barricades rather than driving past them. They also caution against driving through standing water on roads or in parking lots, as the water can not only sweep the car off the road, it might also stall or damage the engine of a car.
Most importantly, if you come upon a flooded street, err on the side of caution and take an alternate route.
