CARIBOU — Do not let children play in the ice floes and don’t drive around barricades set up for safety, Jesse Belanger, deputy director of Aroostook Emergency Management Agency, stressed Sunday.
“In a couple of our small communities we have some individuals thinking it was a good idea to play in and around the ice floes,” Belanger said. “It’s extremely, extremely dangerous.”
Law enforcement were called to educate the people, he said.
“They didn’t understand the severity of the conditions and how quickly conditions can change,” Belanger said.
The agency also issued a warning on its Facebook page.
“Folks, we are getting reports of people driving around barricades, through areas that are flooded by river water, and even worse, letting their children play with the ice floes,” the post states. “We can’t stress this enough … while the water may look stagnant, the current under the water can be incredibly strong and can easily sweep away vehicles and people. Please heed all safety warnings!”
Ice on the St. John River is moving and “on the Aroostook River things are holding still above the Aroostook Dam but we’re optimistic that will go through today,” Belanger said.
There is a small ice jam just outside Fort Fairfield, and flooding around Washburn. Route 161 between Allagash and St. Francis that was closed at about 8 p.m. Saturday reopened around 6 a.m. Sunday.
“All the first responders did an excellent job closing the road and keeping people out,” Belanger said, also thanking the ambulance service that was on hand.
The nearby Canadian community of Village of Perth-Andover also went under a mandatory evacuation, according to the city’s website, which was also posted on the Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency’s site.
“The Village of Perth-Andover is issuing a mandatory evacuation for people that live within low areas of the Village of Perth-Andover to proceed in a voluntary evacuation and make arrangements for alternate lodging,” the post states.
The Village of Perth-Andover is located about 8 miles east of Fort Fairfield.
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