Residents On Alert In Flood-Prone Areas
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There are flood warnings in Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana, where the Kankakee River flows, and in Lake County, Ill. along the Des Plaines river.
In Lincolnshire, the Des Plaines was flirting just above and below flood stage all day Monday. With storms on the way, residents were coming to terms with the possibility of flooding.
As waters rise, so do nerves when your house stands barely 80 feet from a rushing river.
"We've been watching the reports and with every rainfall, we're kind of nervous because living in the river it affects our lives," Agnes Klimwicz told CBS 2's Vince Gerasole.
In the nine years she's lived in Lincolnshire, the Des Plaines River has edged close to but never reached her home.
Hers is among the dozens of households the village reminds each year to be prepared for severe weather.
"We hope it doesn't have to come to the point where we have to put sandbags out," she says.
Record winter snowfalls have created threatening spring thaws upstream. Couple that with intense rainstorms inundating parts of the Midwest and officials are watching closely for the possibility of flooding.
Efim Presman remains calm. He has three sump pumps working perfectly.
He also has the proper insurance and the mindset it takes to live this close to a possible flood.
"I am from Russia -- nobody can make me nervous," he said.
Of course, proper insurance means flood insurance in these areas along the river. Lincolnshire is built on a flood plain, but emergency crews say they have an extensive piping and valve system to help limit the threat of rising waters.
