WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren OhioWellsville residents urged to buy flood insurance after levy system declared undesirable

Wellsville residents urged to buy flood insurance after levy system declared undesirable

WELLSVILLE, Ohio- An aging wall that helps keep the town of Wellsville from flooding has been declared undesirable.

For the past 75-years the levy system and water pumps have helped protect the village from the rising waters of the Ohio River.

Wellsville Mayor Joe Surace tells 21 News only one of the five pumps is working at this time.

What makes the situation worse is that the Army Corps of Engineers says the city no longer qualifies for any financial assistance from FEMA if a flood takes place. But the agency is working with the village.

"We will work closely with the village leadership," says Colonel Butch Graham. "Make sure they truly understand what shape the system is in, then we'll prioritize what needs to be fixed."

Residents are urged to contact the local fire department to find out if their home or business sits in a flood zone and buy insurance.