High flood waters in Jasper County

RENSSELAER, Ind. (WLFI) - Just driving into Rensselaer, standing water is visible pretty much everywhere you look.  With the Iroquois River cresting this afternoon, residents hope the water will stay out of their homes.

What may seem like a peaceful day on the river might not be so peaceful with the river at your door step.
 

"There are other places the river can go besides my yard," said Kennedy.
 

Tom Kennedy's family has owned this house off Stewart Drive for more than 30 years.  He says the river has never risen quite like this.
 

"I've never seen the water come this high, last year it came almost this high towards that pole right there, so it didn't come all the way to the house like it is now, now its clear up against the house," said Kennedy.
 

At the First Assembly of God classrooms that are usually filled with children are now filled with flood water.
 

"We have a nice sweep of water in our basement.  We are trying to figure out what on earth we can do to avoid this from ever happening again," said Jeremy Cummins.

And, the devastation doesn't stop there, high waters have closed roads, and caused damage to houses throughout Jasper County.  But, Emergency Management Director Karen Wilson says there is one thing to be thankful for.
 

"This incident is in no way close to what we went to last January or February. I think a lot of that is we didnt have a lot of rain and people were more alert and heeded the warnings," said Wilson.

Some roads thoughout Jasper County remain closed at this time. For a complete list click here.