Residents Allowed To Return To Homes After Ice Jam Flooding

WILMINGTON, IL — Residents were allowed to return to their homes after melting ice jams caused flooding along the Kankakee River near Wilmington, WJOL reported. Flood-related evacuations were under way Wednesday near Wilmington as the Kankakee River continued to rise due to melting ice jams. On Tuesday, residents were being asked to leave their homes and initially told to expect the evacuation to least for at least a few days.

"Will County Emergency Management, ESDA, Will County Sheriff's Office, and several emergency area agencies are now on hand in the evacuation of Phelan Acres in Wilmington," the Will County Sheriff's Office said. "Area residents are being advised to leave their homes until the rising water and ice move through."

Police and fire officials were going door-to-door at homes asking residents to leave out of concern for their safety, according to ABC Chicago.

Photo: Large ice jams encroach on waterfront property along the Kankakee River in Wilmington, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)