MASSILLON, Ohio — It’s been a week of headaches for those living along the Tuscarawas River and small lakes south of Akron. The staggering amount of rainfall over the last month has led to increased water levels that have resulted in flooding basements and streets that can only be traveled by boat.
We started the week in Chippewa Lake where basements were filled with water and cars and cars were swallowed up by the swollen lake.
A common theme across the viewing area’s southern counties has been that water levels hasn’t been this high in years, if not decades, especially along the Tuscarawas River.
Barberton is an area that floods often, but not to the heights that we saw this past weekend where some needed to be evacuated from their homes via boat.
And head further south along the river to find the village of Clinton. Main street businesses have been shutdown for days as the water has yet to recede, leaving owners worried about the future.
Canal Fulton residents aren’t much better as the river’s waters have built up there too. Channel 3's Amani Abraham reported on how the residents there are using unusual measures in order to function.
In Massillon, the water has started to recede but is expected to rise again with more rain in the forecast. Until then, many have stopped to take pictures of the Lake Avenue bridge where the water is barely able to pass underneath – a sight one woman hasn’t seen in 40 years.
No matter where you live in northeast Ohio, the rain is unwelcome. But for those still pumping out water from the weekend, the forecast leads to extra headaches.