The Lake Erie-Niagara River Ice Boom Has Suffered Damage

Unusually strong winds gusting as high as 74 mph this afternoon caused the Lake Erie-Niagara River Ice Boom to suffer damage flooding the Niagara River with Ice.  Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz confirmed the event this evening after portions of the boom were spotted floating in the river.

Ice had been reported building near the shoreline and the Niagara Regional Police posted video on twitter of what was referred to in posts as an Ice Tsunami coming on-shore near Fort Erie.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo this evening issued a Flash Flood Warning for North Central Erie County here in Western New York and South Western Niagara County in Western New York through midnight. (WIVB-TV/NWS Buffalo)

UPDATE:  The ice boom is intact according to the New York Power Authority.

The pontoons can break loose when it becomes very windy, the Power Authority says, but the boom is operating as it should.

"Similar to a charm bracelet; you can lose a charm or two, but that does not mean the bracelet is not intact around your wrist," they said.