ELKHART, Ind. – Crews used boats to help residents evacuate their homes in northern Indiana after rainstorms sweeping across the Midwest on Wednesday combined with melting snow to flood rivers, roads and other low-lying areas in several states, according to the Associated Press.
The storm system starting pushed heavy rain, snow and ice into the region this week, and the weather has already been blamed for hundreds of car crashes and several fatalities, including the deaths of four people in a crash along a slippery interstate in Nebraska, the AP reported.
About 19 people had been evacuated from homes in Elkhart, a town just east of South Bend, by early Wednesday, said Elkhart Mayor Tim Neese. Local schools were closed because of the flooding and an emergency shelter was set up to help evacuees overnight, The Elkhart Truth newspaper reported.
It was not immediately clear what impact the flooding is having on Elkhart-based manufacturers and suppliers.
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