COVINGTON, Ky. (WKRC) – A flooded Licking River and its tributaries have caused some people in Covington to flee their homes.

Robert Calhoun has called the Rosedale Mobile Home Park his home for almost a decade.

“They came up to me yesterday to my house and knocked on the door, what the fire department did, they gave us a heads up of what’s going on about the floods and stuff,” said Calhoun.

High waters could be seen throughout Covington on Sunday.

“This is the first time I’ve ever been in a tragic situation like this,” said Calhoun.

The VFW was surrounded by high water, and the golf course at Twin Oaks Golf & Magnolia Room was flooded.

The threat of flood waters near the mobile home park was enough for Calhoun, his brother and his wife to voluntarily evacuate and look for shelter elsewhere.

“I want to go home, but I know it’s better safe and sorry here than it would be into the park right,” said Calhoun.

They spent Saturday night and Sunday inside of Latonia Elementary School after the American Red Cross opened up a shelter there.

The same could be said for Tom Ackerson and his wife.

“The only thing that we brought was, I brought Luna, I got some work clothes and some more stuff,” said Ackerson. “I brought the cat today.”

Marita Salkowski is the Regional Communications Director for the American Red Cross. She serves the Central and Southern Ohio region.

Salkowski said more than a dozen people spent the night at the shelter on Saturday.

“We have comfy cots and we have a warm safe place to stay, we are also providing meals, we are also providing spiritual care,” said Salkowski.

Staffed with volunteers, she said they can hold up to 50 people right now. Salkowski said they make the shelter bigger, if needed.

“You never can tell in a situation like this is how many people need help, but we always want to prepare for the worst,” said Salkowski.

Now, those who evacuated, like Calhoun, are trying to remain optimistic.

“I’m hoping they can get it to where we can go back home,” said Calhoun.

Covington Fire Department Capt. Amy Schaefer said they have been assessing impacted flood areas from the get-go.

Capt. Schaefer said they have crews on standby including those that can do boat operations if needed.

Salkowski said the American Red Cross has opened up shelters in other locations as well:

• Dearborn Co- Christian Life Center-201 West Connell, Aurora, IN
• Clermont Co-New Richmond High School-1135 Bethel New Richmond Rd
• Hamilton Co-Oakley Recreation Center-3882 Paxton Ave, Cincinnati