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City will let "nature take its course" with ice jammed river in Monroe

Posted at 11:26 PM, Feb 19, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-19 23:26:28-05

MONROE, Mich. (WXYZ) — All day people stopping to stare at the raisin river. Frozen and jammed at more than twice its normal height.

“I looked out here and I was like wow, I've never seen it that bad,” says Rick Wilson who has lived in Monroe for 60 years.

Ryan Singer didn’t have to travel far to sight see. He lives on Front st. just a stones throw away from the River. The road in front of his home completely flooded.

“It was a lot of anxiety as you’re watching the water come up because you can’t do nothing,” says Singer.

The water on Front St. rose to 4-ft according to Singer which according to a government website is the normal height of the River.

Despite the road closure signs and the deep waters, cars tried to drive through anyway. Singer says one of them started to float so the person pushed the car onto the sidewalk and drove onto three people's yards.

Singer now has damage to his front yard, while people a few blocks away on Elm Street complain of flooded basements and damaged cars.

Today, an official with the City on Monroe released a statement saying "They are aware of flooding in basements but quote at this particular point in time there is nothing the city can do,"adding "It is unlikely that the overall private property damage associated with the flooding would reach a dollar amount to qualify for disaster relief.”

The department of public safety in Monroe is currently monitoring the flood for any changes, and the city is encouraging anyone in need of immediate assistance to call 9-1-1.

7 Action News asked the city if they will be doing anything to try and break up the ice, to get the water moving, but we are told at this point, they will let nature take its course.