WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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The Indiana Department of Natural Resources announced Brown County State Park and parts of Hoosier National Forest are closed to the public, yesterday.
According to the Department of Natural Resources, Brown County State Park faces a lack of usable water due to abnormally heavy rainfall over the weekend. The DNR reports flooding has increased erosion in the surrounding area. The amount of soil in the water caused it to become murky, and has overwhelmed the Brown County Park’s water treatment facility.
Engineering staff are on site working to get the water back to acceptable levels. Campers in the park at the time of the closure were notified, as well as those scheduled to visit today. The DNR stated they’re not sure when Brown County State Park will reopen.
The heavy rainfall that closed Brown County State Park over the weekend caused flash floods throughout Monroe, Brown, and Hancock Counties.
Two families were trapped in their homes Saturday night, due to flooding. A family of five was rescued in Hancock County. Indiana DNR conservation officers and Brown County Volunteer Fire Department members rescued a family of four in Brown County.
These flash floods were accompanied by severe weather throughout Southern parts of Indiana. High winds, downed trees, and tornadoes left over two thousand Monroe County residents without power and destroyed multiple homes in Ellettsville.
Monroe County Board of Commissioners has declared a local disaster emergency in the county, establishing the need for emergency assistance.
The National weather service issued a flash flood watch for Central Indiana, including Brown and Monroe County through 2 p.m., today. Continued storms throughout week could lead to more flooding. The National Weather Service reminds drivers during this time to heed emergency alerts and to avoid flooded road, rather than trying to drive through them.
