Flood victims still in shelter

CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - This is the fifth day the Tippecanoe County Chapter of the American Red Cross has been in operation in Carroll County. Emergency Services Director Chris Brady said volunteers have helped more than 60 flood victims.

"A lot of people still can't get back into their homes. They don't really know what kind of damage they've had yet. The areas from last year, Oakdale Dam area, Tecumseh Bend, Horseshoe Bend," said Brady.

Brady said a handful of people are staying at the Red Cross shelter located in the First Assembly of God Church. George Hammel has been at the shelter since it opened unable to return to his Oakdale Dam area home.

"They took us out by boat Tuesday and been here ever since," said Hammel.

Carroll County residents said this flood could have been avoided had water in northern Indiana been regulated better.

According to a map of the state, the water flows from the Tippecanoe Lake and goes through Winamac and Monticello, near Lakes Shafer and Freeman. It all eventually ends up in the Tippecanoe River.

Hammel, a more than 30 year resident on the river, blames the change in how water goes through the Norway and Oakdale dams.

"They used to let the water out ahead of time when it rained up north. We'd catch rain there and they would start lowering the river. This way we could control the water better than we could control it automatic because with automatic it pops up at certain elevations. Sure, we had a little bit of flood problems, but we never got it in our houses the way we did," said Hammel.

Wife Dixie Hammel knows living on the river is a risk, but enjoys the peace that comes with it.

"We feed the birds and we watch the eagles fly by up and down stream, which is a blessing. We see the deer. I enjoy living along the river there because of that," said Dixie Hammel.

Some Carroll County residents expressed their flood concerns to Congressman Joe Donnelly this week. In the meantime, they're bracing for the river to rise again from expected rain and flood waters in the north.

Emergency Management Director Dave McDowell says some residents have returned home, and floodwaters remain over many roads.
He says FEMA will not become involved unless there is a Presidential Declaration.