Devastating flooding: Southeast Missouri braces for more rain as some areas deal with record flooding

SIKESTON -- While the sun shone bright Tuesday and some water began to recede, the recent flooding across the state continues to cause problems as the forecast calls for even more rain today and tomorrow.

In Butler, Ripley and Carter counties, residents continue to fight the flooding that left water reaching rooftops in places like Van Buren and Doniphan. Meanwhile, places like Cape Girardeau are keeping a close eye on the Mississippi River as it nears record levels. All the while, forecasters predict up to 2 inches of rain in the St. Louis area on Wednesday and Thursday, and perhaps 2 1/2 inches of rain in already hard-hit southeast Missouri.

"This rain event could make for a new flood of record," National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Fuchs said.

As more rain approaches, the Memphis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began Phase II floodfight activities Tuesday morning near Cape Girardeau due to high river stages on the Mississippi. Corps officials said the area of possible flooding is located in Charleston while Scott City and low lying roads in that vicinity may be affected as well.

As of Tuesday morning, approximately 22 field personnel from the Memphis District were deployed into the Bootheel and northwestern Arkansas. The personnel are conducting patrols each day from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., checking the condition of the levees and other flood protection structures and looking for problems like water seepage under levees.

Currently a flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., for Scott, Mississippi and New Madrid counties. According to the NWS, the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau is expected to crest at 48.5 on Saturday evening. That prediction is close to the record set. Jan. 2, 2016, of 48.86 feet.

During Phase II activation, USACE personnel intensively monitor government flood risk reduction works. They also make technical and material assistance available to local communities and flood control organizations to aid them in their floodfighting efforts. Along with supplying 100,000 sandbags to the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency in the upper St. Francis River basin, the Memphis District also supplied 100,000 additional sandbags and eight portable pumps in Caruthersville.

While close attention is being paid to the Mississippi River, to the west, places like Doniphan and Van Buren are beginning the recovery efforts after devastating high water levels from Current River that broke century-old records.

More than 100 homes and 13 businesses were damaged or destroyed in Van Buren, according to initial assessments, said Carter County Sheriff Richard Stephens. Another 60 homes are damaged at Deer Run and officials are still assessing other areas of the western portion of the county, he said.

More than 20 businesses and churches at Doniphan were flooded and countless homes, according to residents and officials.

Van Buren saw a crest of 37.2 feet at 7:45 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record was 29 feet, set in 1904. The river had fallen to about 12 feet by Tuesday morning and water had receded from the western portion of Van Buren.

Doniphan saw a crest of 33.13 feet at 10:30 a.m. Monday. It had a record of 26.8 feet set in 1904. The river remained above flood stage at approximately 25 feet today.

Flood stage is 20 feet at Van Buren and 13 feet in Doniphan.

Those near Wappapello Lake were also impacted as the Lake crested Tuesday, reaching at least 398.16 feet before it began to fall, as water is being released from both its primary and secondary spillways. The lake, which controls water released into the St. Francis River, fell short of the record crest at 400.01.

Meanwhile, Clearwater Lake has never topped its overflow spillway and reached more than 367.6 feet, more than a foot higher than the previous record. It is expected to crest at 568.3 feet. Clearwater controls water released into the Black River.

Two dead

The flooding has had a tragic impact as two people were found dead inside their vehicles in Butler County after apparently trying to drive through flood waters. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Clark Parrot, troopers were checking a report cars in the water on Highway 53 and Highway HH on Monday night when a body was found in one of the cars.

The deceased was identified as 60-year-old Kevin Compton of Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Then 12 hours later, at approximately 8:35 a.m. Tuesday, a woman's body was found inside her vehicle which was submerged in a ditch on Highway 158 near Homestead Lane.

She was later identified as 69-year-old Barbara Smithson of Harviell, Mo.

While their have been two deaths, law enforcement and fire crews across the region have made numerous rescues since the water began to rise over the weekend. Sikeston Public Safety Director Mike Williams said that DPS headquarters is currently serving as the Multiple Agency Coordination Center, allotting resources to areas throughout Southern Missouri to deal with weather-related emergencies.

Williams said the Center has directed emergency crews to assist with evacuations and provided pumping equipment to Greenville, Mo.

Meanwhile, crews throughout the region have responded to calls of people needing to be rescued as their vehicle was washed away while trying to cross a flooded roadway.

Even if people think they can make it across, or have in the past when there is water over the road, Parrot urged against it.

"When the road is closed, people need to stay off it," Parrot said.

Reports have well over 100 evacuations and water rescues as more than 300 roads remain closed, including two stretches of Interstate 44 -- a 57-mile stretch from central to southern Missouri, and a 23-mile stretch in suburban St. Louis. Interstate 55 between St. Louis and Jefferson counties was to close after midnight today and remained closed the rest of the week. In addition, the Meramec River crossings on Route 61/67 and Route 231 also closed after midnight.

All of the interstate and major route closures in St. Louis at the Meramec River will cut off St. Louis to any roads to the south. Motorists who need to travel between southeast Missouri and St. Louis will have to find through routes in Illinois.

Locally, the eastbound 60/51 ramp at Fisk/Puxico is closed, however it does not impact mainline traffic on Route 60. MoDOT said they have no plans to close Route 60 as of Tuesday evening, however, the Missouri National Guard was sandbagging along eastbound Route 60 at Fisk from Route DD to the Route 60/51 junction as a protective measure after the latest projections for the St. Francis River.

Route T, from County Road 404 in Stoddard County to the Wayne and Butler counties lines is also closed.

Most roads remain open in Scott County except for Route E at Commerce, which is currently closed.

Help generated

While many are still trying to recover from the flooding, Sikeston residents have came together to help.

Sikeston Public Schools collected donations for those impacted by the flooding and took a toy hauler full of clothing, food, rain boots, diapers, formula, toiletries, cleaning supplies, hammers and crowbars and bottled water to Van Buren on Tuesday.

The Sikeston Jaycees will also be collecting items to deliver to the Van Buren area Friday.

Donations can be dropped off to covered trailers which will be stationed behind the ticket office at 1220 N. Ingram Rd., as items will be accepted Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m and Friday from 9 a.m to noon.

Items accepted for donation include: diapers, baby wipes, baby food, formula, trash bags, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, shampoo, bath soap, hand soap, dish soap, Purell hand sanitizer, bottled water, clothes, non-perishable foods, blankets, sheets and pillows.

Some information was taken from the Associated Press and SEMO News Service.