Mercer County EMA Warns Drivers Following Heavy Overnight Rain

MERCER COUNTY — Mercer County Emergency Management Specialist Cassidy Freeman is reminding residents to avoid flooded roadways after heavy rain caused standing water across portions of the county.

Freeman said some areas received between two and three inches of rain as storms repeatedly moved through the region Tuesday night and early Wednesday.

“We had quite a bit of water last night,” Freeman said. “It just kept coming down hard, and it had nowhere else to go except to have standing water.”

The National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Warning for Mercer County at 3:09 a.m. Wednesday. Radar indicated between one-and-a-half and three inches of rain had fallen, with another one to one-and-a-half inches possible at the time.

The warning included Celina, Coldwater, St. Henry, Fort Recovery, Rockford, Mendon, Chickasaw, Montezuma, Maria Stein and several surrounding communities. Forecasters warned that flooding could affect streets, highways, underpasses, small streams and other low-lying or poorly drained areas. National Weather Service

Freeman urged motorists who encounter water covering a roadway to turn around and find another route.

“Turn around, don’t drown. Don’t get your car stuck,” Freeman said. “Let’s keep our first responders doing necessary calls instead of calls involving people trapped in standing water.”

Residents are also encouraged to check their sump pumps and make sure they remain operational following the heavy rainfall.

Drivers should never attempt to determine the depth of water covering a road because pavement may be damaged or washed away beneath the surface.