The city of Wyoming was under a state of emergency Thursday as floodwaters filled the streets.
The hardest hit areas were near Ideal Park at the corner of 54th and Clay Street, Creekside Estates at the corner of 52nd and Clyde Park and Ideal Park near Averill SW and Crippen Streets.
Wyoming Police said nearly 100 people were evacuated from Ideal Park and another 100 homes were evacuated in the Creekside Estates Park area. More than 50 people were rescued by Grand Rapids Fire Department boats.
Emergency crews rushed into those neighborhoods in Wyoming early Thursday to get people out.
In the mobile home park, some homes had shifted off of their foundations from the rising water.
“At 8:00 am I went to take her for a walk, and I couldn’t get out of my yard,” said Lois Cole, Creekside Estates resident. “They came right back and got us in the boat.”
Lori realized she was trapped when she went to walk her dog, Hannah.
“She’s not too thrilled right now, but she’s doing good,” said Cole.
At the driest spot in the park we found resident Shawn Tanner wading through the water, bringing some of his belongings to safety.
“My cell phone, my wallet, some of my clothes,” said Tanner. “It’s the first flood I’ve been in. It’s hard going back into the current, but it’s easy coming out.”
Just east of the park at 54th and Clay, some businesses were evacuated.
Some employees made it out of the parking lots by avoiding the street and driving on the sidewalks.
“I’ve worked here for 20 years and we’ve marked the ground where the water levels are and this the highest we’ve seen,” said Robb Lamer,” an engineer who works near the creek.
Cole was grateful for the assistance in getting to safety.
“I was afraid we were going to float away,” said Cole.
The city of Wyoming has a shelter set up at the Kentwood Community Center at 355 48th Street SE.
The city said, “If residents have an emergency or medical issue, they should call 911.”
For water-related, non-emergency evacuation help, the city advises residents to call the water-related emergency hotline at 616 530 7331.
