An ice jam in Mecosta County caused multiple homes to flood along the Muskegon River.
“We had floods before, but I’ve never seen it quite so high and up so far in the bank,” Michael Fish said.
Fish said his grandmother has owned a home on the Muskegon River, near Big Rapids for years.
After hearing of the flooding, he wanted to see the damage for himself. “It’s about three feet up on the house. It’s probably destroyed inside,” he said.
“I’d probably estimate at least 10,000 [dollars in damage],” Fish said.
He said it all happened without warning. Most of the properties are summer homes, only a few are occupied right now.
Hydrologist Mark Walton with the National Weather Service says multiple homes are affected and are under a few feet of water.
“I feel bad for a lot of these people,” Fish said.
Residents I spoke with say the water levels appear to be dropping. However, with below freezing temperatures in the forecast, what’s left of the flooding may freeze over before it has a chance to recede.
