EAST LANSING, Mich. — City of East Lansing officials are continuing to monitor flooding in the East Lansing community.
Based on projected models from the National Weather Service, the Red Cedar River remains in the Moderate Flood Stage at 10.24 feet and is expected to crest this afternoon at 10.3 feet. For the latest updates on the Red Cedar River’s current and forecasted level, visit http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=grr&gage=elnm4&refresh=true.
Community flooding remains localized to the southwest side of the Red Cedar neighborhood. Emergency personnel have made contact with many of the residents in the affected areas of the neighborhood through door-to-door wellness checks.
While evacuation orders have been issued in other communities that have been more severely impacted, City officials do not believe evacuation is necessary in the East Lansing community based on the current situation. In the event that a resident feels that their home is uninhabitable or has concerns for their safety, they are advised to call 911 or seek shelter elsewhere. An American Red Cross shelter has been set up at the Letts Community Center in Lansing, 1220 W. Kalamazoo St. For non-emergency matters related to the current situation, residents can call the East Lansing Police Department at (517) 319-6865.
In an effort to assist with recovery and cleanup following this event, the East Lansing Department of Public Works (DPW) will be providing no-fee bulk waste stickers and yellow City trash bags to impacted homes for household items that have been damaged by water (i.e. furniture, carpeting, etc.; no construction material please). From Feb. 23-March 2, community members impacted by the flooding can stop by the East Lansing Department of Public Works, 1800 E. State Road, during regular hours to fill out a form and pick up no-fee stickers and bags. Proof of residency will be required. Trash collection will take place on residents’ regular collection day and bulk item collection takes place on Mondays. Residents can find information on how to make a bulk item collection request here: https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/282/Bulk-Item-Collection/. For additional information on flood cleanup, residents can visit the Centers for Disease Control website: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/index.html.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind:
- Do not touch or use electrical devices while in a flooded basement
- Do not drive through standing or moving water
- Do not attempt to drive down roads that have been barricaded by DPW
- Report water over roadways, obstructed catch basins and sewer backups to DPW at (517) 337-9459
- Kalamazoo Street, between Marigold Avenue and Clippert Street, and the Kalamazoo-US 127 ramp are currently closed to traffic due to flooding
- For MSU campus safety information, visit https://msu.edu/emergency/
Residents are encouraged to monitor the City’s website, www.cityofeastlansing.com, and Nixle for any additional updates. Residents can sign up for Nixle alerts at https://local.nixle.com/register/ or by texting their zip code to 888-777.