A neighborhood in Skokie, Illinois, is dealing with a major disaster after a massive water main break flooded the streets, leaving homes and cars submerged. The break sent water pouring into the snow-covered suburb just north of Chicago, creating a dangerous mix of flooding and freezing temperatures. Some areas are reporting water as deep as eight inches, stretching nearly a mile from where the pipe burst.
To make matters worse, an arctic blast has pushed temperatures down to around 5 degrees, turning the floodwaters into sheets of ice. Some cars are now frozen in place, and roads and sidewalks have become dangerously slick for both drivers and pedestrians.
The damage doesn’t stop there. Residents in the affected area have been placed under a boil water advisory, with some homes experiencing little to no water pressure. Schools in the area have either shut down or switched to online learning, and three nearby hospitals were forced to cancel all appointments for the day.
City crews are working around the clock to fix the problem, but with freezing conditions making repairs even more difficult, it’s unclear when things will return to normal.
