KENT — Several families were evacuated and a section of Route 7 remained closed Sunday after an ice jam in the Houstatonic River caused flooding in the south end of town.
Route 7 from Route 341 to Bulls Bridge is expected to be closed for some time because flood waters have frozen on the road.
Resident State Trooper Andrew Fisher said six to eight people were evacuated from their homes Saturday because of flooding. The residents are staying with friends, but damage to their homes cannot be determined until the water recedes, Fisher said.
Fisher said no one else required evacuation early Sunday, but could not rule out the need for further moves.
“It’s really up to Mother Nature at this time,” he said. “Do we expect more to be evacuated? We hope not, but there’s no guarantee.”
Fisher said the ice jam could break up at any time, but that conditions were about the same as the night before.
“It could change in five minutes,” he said.
In a social media post, State Rep. Brian Ohler, R-North Canaan, who represents Kent, said he met with Fisher and Susie Rundall, Kent emergency management director, on Sunday morning. Ohler said the flood waters have been “very slow to recede” and that single-digit temperatures overnight have caused the ice jam to stick.
Ohler said Route 7 will be closed for “some time,” but that once flood waters recede, the state Department of ransportation will inspect the road to “better determine its strength and integrity.”
Authorities urged drivers to stay away from Route 7 and Schaghticoke Road. Those who need to head south from Kent will be directed to South Kent Road, to Bulls Bridge and then back onto Route 7, Ohler said.
“While this phenomenon is quite a sight to see, please do not attempt to get close to the ice jam,” Ohler said. “The Housatonic River is ‘open’ from Cornwall back northward. Therefore, a large volume water is creating some intense pressure on the jam point here in Kent.”
Fisher said the town has an emergency operations plan in place and asked residents to contact state police if they see water flooding onto roads that have not been closed.