People Are Surfing On Michigan's Rivers

Joe MatulisMichigan is seeing crazy amounts of flooding this week — and some people are taking advantage of the record-breaking river levels.

Joe Matulis, who works at Matuli Paddle Surf in East Lansing, Mich., posted pictures this week of himself and friends catching a wave on the Red Cedar River, which runs through the Michigan State University campus.

His blog said he met some "rad" students who were already taking advantage of the high water levels when he got there. It wasn't the easiest, since the section of the river has lots of submerged rocks. But the surfers got a lot of double-takes from runners near the river and it was a gnarly ride, nonetheless.

"You cannot surf in East Lansing very often, so it was really fun taking advantage of the flood," he told Business Insider in an email.

"When you get a good ride everyone cheers. I can not wait for the wave to work an a football Saturday."

In Grand Rapids, Mich., a man also was caught surfing the Grand River, according to MLive.com. Police forced him to leave, since the river is reaching dangerous levels.

Although the surfing stories are a fun twist on the flooding, many rivers across the Midwest are reaching record-breaking flood levels because of intensely heavy rains all week.

The Grand River is expected to peak above its highest level by Saturday, and the Saginaw and Tittabawassee rivers are much higher than usual as well. Residents in low-lying areas next to rivers in West and central Michigan have been evacuated, with some homes already suffering significant damage.

(As I'm writing, an eerie photo of a flooded statue in my hometown of Midland, Mich., is the top post on Reddit.)

Across Lake Michigan, Indiana and Illinois are experiencing significant flooding as well. A state of emergency was declared in Chicago on Thursday due to the heavy rains and the original McDonald's might be underwater.

The Mississippi River is expected to hit above flood stage as well.

Here's a few more photos of the flooding in the Midwest:

AP Photo/M. Spencer GreenAn abandoned car bobs in standing water under an overpass Thursday, April 18, 2013, in Chicago. Blasts of torrential rain and widespread flooding forced authorities to shut segments of major expressways, and hundreds of flights were scrapped.

Scott Olson/Getty ImagesA motorist drives through standing water in a flooded underpass on April 18, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. Thunderstorms dumped up to 5 inches of rain on parts of the Chicago area overnight, closing sections the Edens, Eisenhower and Kennedy expressways, which lead into downtown, during the morning rush.

Joe MatulisA surfer rides the Red Cedar River in East Lansing, Mich.

AP Photo/Michael ConroyResidents pump water from the basement of a home in Zionsville, Ind., Friday, April 19, 2013. Heavy overnight rains have flooded rivers, streams and streets across central Indiana, driving some people from their homes and prompting school districts to cancel or delay the start of classes.

AP Photo/Jeff RobersonSteve Dieckhaus arranges sand bags being filled in hopes of holding back the rising Mississippi River Thursday, April 18, 2013, in Clarksville, Mo. Middle America was overwhelmed by weather Thursday, with snow in the north, tornadoes in the Plains, and torrential rains that caused floods and transportation woes.