Saturday, February 19, 2000
Falmouth flees rising river
BY KRISTINA GOETZ and ANDREA TORTORA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FALMOUTH — As the Licking River climbed Friday night, residents were on the move.
Many packed up their pickups with couches and televisions, fleeing this Pendleton County seat because of memories from the devastation of the flood of 1997. They had no intention of sticking around for this one.
The Licking River rose swiftly through the evening after heavy rains during the day, and forecasters warned residents in early evening that the stream would spill over its banks. Officials expected as many 400 homes to be affected.
Just before midnight, one end of Rigg Street was already underwater. The street was the hardest street in the 1997 flood, with several homes washed away.
Nearby, on Shelby Street, one of the Falmouth's main roads, a pickup truck sat in front of every house as families gathered up everything they could.
Eric Love, 25, was helping his sister-in-law Jessica Defalco, 19, pack up belongings at her Shelby Street house, a block from the river.
Asked if he thought the river would reach the house, he said, “Most definitely — I've lived here for 25 years, and the river always rises.”
As police blocked several streets, rescuers gathered at the downtown firehouse, and lights in city hall burned late as officials mapped plans and urged residents not to panic.
“This is not going to have the force it did before, but people need to be aware,” said Craig Peoples of the Pendleton County Department of Emergency Services. “This is going to be a lot more backwater than anything.”
City and county officials initiated an emergency plan developed in the wake of the 1997 flood that devastated this city of about 2,500. The city had no plan in place last time. They have a plan now.
Kentucky State Police said there had been no mandatory evacuations yet, though many people were leaving. The city opened the old middle school as a shelter.
The business district should not be affected, Mr. Peoples said. The river would have to rise to 46 feet to get to 50 or so businesses there.
The town buzzed and people jammed the downtown streets trying to leave. Even employees at the Cold Spot, a local bar, were packing up beer bottles.
“We're telling people to watch the news, get their updates,” Mr. Peoples said. “We will be giving out information as often as possible.”
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