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Mayor: Flash floods prompted vehicle rescues and mutual‑aid evacuations
Summary
Athens experienced sudden flash flooding yesterday that stranded vehicles and prompted local crews to assist in nearby Crooksville; the mayor praised firefighters and police for rescues and road closures while urging residents to avoid high water.
The mayor said Athens crews responded to multiple rescues after a sudden flash flood that caused rapid water rises in low‑lying corridors.
"We also had a few rescues here in the city of Athens, where there were stranded vehicles, and those individuals in those vehicles had to be extracted from their cars," the mayor said, praising firefighters who had swift‑water training and noting Athens personnel deployed to assist in Crooksville. The mayor said both Athens Police Department and Ohio University Police Department assisted with road closures and detours, citing East State Street and the Richland Avenue corridor as notably impacted.
Officials said water in parts of the Richland Avenue corridor rose very quickly, creating significant cleanup needs and temporary business access issues. The mayor encouraged residents to heed road closures and the longstanding safety advice to avoid driving through high water.
