Thousands stranded at B93 Birthday Bash
Cars stranded at
Birthday Bash
State police told concert-goers to
abandon cars
Updated: Sunday, 21 Jun 2009, 12:06 AM EDT
Published : Saturday, 20 Jun 2009, 6:02 PM EDT
* Terri DeBoer
* Marc Thompson
IONIA CO., Mich. (WOOD) - Rapidly rising waters from the Grand River flooded the B-93 Birthday Bash in Ionia County, temporarily stranding thousands of concert-goers, submerging scores of cars and injuring more than a dozen people.
Flooding and the potential of more flooding forced cancellation of Day 2 of the B93 Birthday Bash.
About 130 people are currently in an emergency shelter at Ionia Middle School on Union Street.
The American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids set up the shelter for the approx. 1,000 evacuees from the B-93 Birthday Bash in Ionia. A team of 12 Red Cross volunteers are managing the shelter.
The shelter has food, water and other provisions for people who have no way to leave the concert venue after being asked to abandon their cars in the grass parking lots near the county fairground
The concert-goers became stranded at the Ionia County fairgrounds after a stretch of the Grand River rose Saturday, cutting off exits to parking area for thousands.
It's the sixth time since Christmas the Ionia County fairgrounds have flooded.
Michigan State Police evacuated the area and asked everyone at the concert to grab essentials from their cars and abandon the vehicles until a later date.
Dozens of medical personnel responded, and over a dozen people have been treated for minor injuries. Search teams are combing the area to make sure no one is lost.
"The situation is improving greatly," said David Bolling, the Ionia public safety director. He said they "probably transported around 4, 000 - 5,000 people" who mostly walked through water and out to safer places.
"We knew we had a heavy rainfall last night," he told 24 Hour News 8, and they were aware of a water release from the heavy rains Friday night. "We knew we had to monitor the situation."
A spokesman for Consumers Energy said "the dam is kept at a constant level," and the release of the water is in compliance with federal and state laws. The spokesman said the water release had to take place when it did.
The spokesman was not aware of any miscommunication between officials and representatives of B-93.
24 Hour News 8 talked with many concertgoers, and not all of them were upset.. Many, in fact, seemed to roll with it.
Many also took pictures of the event and uploaded them, like Dan Hughes.
There will be no events on Sunday. Police say do not go to the concert, and even if you have family there, do not go to the concert. B-93 will have more information on Sunday and Monday.
Storm Team 8 said the heavy rainfall Friday led to flash flooding across a large part of West Michigan into early Saturday morning. Now that flash flood waters have receded, that excess of water is making its way into major rivers, like the Grand River. Also contributing to this flooding, authorities are releasing extra water from the Webber Dam, upstream near Portland.
While the Grand River is technically below flood stage, infrequently used areas in and around the Ionia County Fairgrounds are now being covered with flood waters.
At 7 p.m. Saturday night, the river level is at 16.9 feet. Flood Stage is 21 feet. The river will continue to rise about one additional foot by Sunday afternoon, putting additional terrain under shallow floodwater.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for the Grand River in Ionia.
A flood advisory means minor flooding is possible and rivers are forecast to exceed the banks.
The advisory is in effect until Friday morning, or until it is cancelled. The river is expected to begin a slow fall Sunday night.
==========
Concert attendees at the B-93 Birthday Bash, a multi-act country music concert called 24 Hour News 8 and said concert organizers are not letting people back into the concert venue, and that there is no food, water, or toilet facilities in the parking area that's now completely cut off by the rising water.
Storm Team 8's Terri DeBoer is at the concert ( follow her Twitter live here ). She says the music at the concert has stopped and organizers are trying to determine whether or not to take down the stage.
24 Hour News 8 has reports that everyone is being asked to leave the fairgrounds even though cars cannot leave the parking area.
Several cars are at least partially underwater, and there are reports of some cars being completely submerged.
24 Hour News 8 will continue to follow this story, and post developments as they happen.
If you're stranded at the concert, you can check updates on your mobile device at live8.com .
If you're stuck at the concert, send us cell phone pictures or information to newsroom@woodtv.com. Or upload them directly to POSTED
Cars stranded at
Birthday Bash
State police told concert-goers to
abandon cars
Updated: Sunday, 21 Jun 2009, 12:06 AM EDT
Published : Saturday, 20 Jun 2009, 6:02 PM EDT
* Terri DeBoer
* Marc Thompson
IONIA CO., Mich. (WOOD) - Rapidly rising waters from the Grand River flooded the B-93 Birthday Bash in Ionia County, temporarily stranding thousands of concert-goers, submerging scores of cars and injuring more than a dozen people.
Flooding and the potential of more flooding forced cancellation of Day 2 of the B93 Birthday Bash.
About 130 people are currently in an emergency shelter at Ionia Middle School on Union Street.
The American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids set up the shelter for the approx. 1,000 evacuees from the B-93 Birthday Bash in Ionia. A team of 12 Red Cross volunteers are managing the shelter.
The shelter has food, water and other provisions for people who have no way to leave the concert venue after being asked to abandon their cars in the grass parking lots near the county fairground
The concert-goers became stranded at the Ionia County fairgrounds after a stretch of the Grand River rose Saturday, cutting off exits to parking area for thousands.
It's the sixth time since Christmas the Ionia County fairgrounds have flooded.
Michigan State Police evacuated the area and asked everyone at the concert to grab essentials from their cars and abandon the vehicles until a later date.
Dozens of medical personnel responded, and over a dozen people have been treated for minor injuries. Search teams are combing the area to make sure no one is lost.
"The situation is improving greatly," said David Bolling, the Ionia public safety director. He said they "probably transported around 4, 000 - 5,000 people" who mostly walked through water and out to safer places.
"We knew we had a heavy rainfall last night," he told 24 Hour News 8, and they were aware of a water release from the heavy rains Friday night. "We knew we had to monitor the situation."
A spokesman for Consumers Energy said "the dam is kept at a constant level," and the release of the water is in compliance with federal and state laws. The spokesman said the water release had to take place when it did.
The spokesman was not aware of any miscommunication between officials and representatives of B-93.
24 Hour News 8 talked with many concertgoers, and not all of them were upset.. Many, in fact, seemed to roll with it.
Many also took pictures of the event and uploaded them, like Dan Hughes.
There will be no events on Sunday. Police say do not go to the concert, and even if you have family there, do not go to the concert. B-93 will have more information on Sunday and Monday.
Storm Team 8 said the heavy rainfall Friday led to flash flooding across a large part of West Michigan into early Saturday morning. Now that flash flood waters have receded, that excess of water is making its way into major rivers, like the Grand River. Also contributing to this flooding, authorities are releasing extra water from the Webber Dam, upstream near Portland.
While the Grand River is technically below flood stage, infrequently used areas in and around the Ionia County Fairgrounds are now being covered with flood waters.
At 7 p.m. Saturday night, the river level is at 16.9 feet. Flood Stage is 21 feet. The river will continue to rise about one additional foot by Sunday afternoon, putting additional terrain under shallow floodwater.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for the Grand River in Ionia.
A flood advisory means minor flooding is possible and rivers are forecast to exceed the banks.
The advisory is in effect until Friday morning, or until it is cancelled. The river is expected to begin a slow fall Sunday night.
==========
Concert attendees at the B-93 Birthday Bash, a multi-act country music concert called 24 Hour News 8 and said concert organizers are not letting people back into the concert venue, and that there is no food, water, or toilet facilities in the parking area that's now completely cut off by the rising water.
Storm Team 8's Terri DeBoer is at the concert ( follow her Twitter live here ). She says the music at the concert has stopped and organizers are trying to determine whether or not to take down the stage.
24 Hour News 8 has reports that everyone is being asked to leave the fairgrounds even though cars cannot leave the parking area.
Several cars are at least partially underwater, and there are reports of some cars being completely submerged.
24 Hour News 8 will continue to follow this story, and post developments as they happen.
If you're stranded at the concert, you can check updates on your mobile device at live8.com .
If you're stuck at the concert, send us cell phone pictures or information to newsroom@woodtv.com. Or upload them directly to POSTED
