Twenty-five residents were being housed at North Middle School as of 5 p.m., an emergency shelter that opened Sunday afternoon.
People line the railing of the Great River Bridge in Westfield to watch the raging Westfield river. Police blocked off sidewalks on each side of the bridgeWESTFIELD - Flooding along the low-lying areas of the Westfield River, from Tropical Storm Irene, has delayed the opening of schools here for the 2011-2012 school year until Tuesday.
That flooding has also forced the closing of Route 20 where it enters and leaves Westfield.
Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and Superintendent of Schools Suzanne Scallion made the decision to cancel Monday's scheduled opening of the school year during a 5 p.m. Sunday conference call with the city's emergency management team. That decision was due to "uncertainity" about the water level of the Westfield River for the overnight.
The water level was reported at 18.3 feet Sunday evening, some seven feet above flood stage.
Police had closed several streets, the last being Route 20 at East Mountain Road near the West Springfield line shortly before 5 p.m.. Closed earlier in the day was Route 20 north at Lloyds Hill Road near Tekoa Country Club.
Sections of Union Street, East Main Street, Springdale Street, Ascutney Strteet and Clifton Avenue were also closed.
Authorities evacuated about 100 families in those areas and at 5 p.m. some 25 people were at North Middle School on Southampton Road, a temporary shelter established mid-day Sunday.
Officials were prepared to house those people at the school overnight.
During the day Sunday, a spillway at Westfield Granville Reservoir collapsed because of rising water. Water Superintendent David S. Billips said the reservoir, providing water to Westfield, was taken out of service. Damage to the spillway posed no threat to Southwick nor Westfield, said Billips.
An assessment of spillway damage will be assessed on Monday, he said.
Westfield Gas and Electric department responded to sporatic power outages throughout Sunday and as of 5 p.m. the utility reported power out to only 12 customers citywide.
The rising Westfield River drew hundreds of spectators to the Great River Bridge at North Elm Street, forcing the Police Department to station several officers there to control traffic, both vehicle and foot traffic.
Home Depot, located off East Main Street, closed shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday as the Westfield River came within two feet of the building. Most businesses along the stretch of East Main Street from Little River Road to Noble Street closed early at the advice of police and emergency management personnel, officials said.
The sun first appeared in Westfield at about 4 p.m.. No injuries were reported from the storm.