Taking the worst of the damage was a portion of South West Street where the pavement was washed out after water rose over the culvert, Brunka said. The roadway is closed as crews work to clean up the area and replace the pavement.
Several sewers backups were reported at private residences as well, Brunka said.
The basement locale of the Warren County Communications Center also flooded Friday evening, with reports of up to 3 inches of water tumbling into the offices. Emergency dispatchers continued to work through the high water.
On Monday, carpeting was still being dried out and officials were checking the electronic, electrical and computer systems to see what other damage may have occurred during the incident.
Bill Becker, county emergency services director, said the communications center’s dispatchers, which dispatches most of the county’s police, fire and EMS units, “did a heck of a job in dealing with it. They maintained and did their jobs (during the flooding) and later as crews came in to clean-up and begin drying the center up.”
Becker did not have an estimate on the damage caused by the flooding of the dispatch center which is located in the basement of the Warren County Common Pleas Court Building at 500 Justice Drive.
“We’re figuring out our next steps and getting things dried out,” he said. “We need to know if this was a fluke or will it happen again.”
Brunka said no city buildings had any damage as a result of the flooding.
There was a substantial amount of flooding at Stubbs Mill Road due to its location near the Little Miami River, according to Jim Apking of the Warren County Engineer’s Office. Flooding in this area is typical and no extra measures were taken. The water drained as planned when the rain ceased, Apking said.
Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.
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