Posted on 05/04/2017 7:48:00 PM PDT by Paul R.
Flood damage is mounting to the south and west of the Cape Girardeau area, with many victims in the hardest-hit areas experiencing loss of phone service, including cellphones, and in some places electricity and tap water.
While those areas are seeing raging floods recede, those along the Mississippi are waiting as the big river is expected to crest at stages rivaling some of the highest marks on record.
But whether affected by small rivers to the south and west or to the Mississippi River near Cape Girardeau, Missouri flood victims are bracing for another serious rain event forecast in just a few days.
Flood conditions continued to worsen in Ripley and Carter counties Monday morning.
In Van Buren, the Current River crested overnight Sunday into Monday at 37.2 feet, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record, 29 feet, was set in 1904.
(Excerpt) Read more at dddnews.com ...
I would think a lot of the places catering to canoeists and tourists got wiped out. Twice as a teen, and 3 times later in life I've had the wonderful privilege to canoe down the Current River (in much calmer conditions, obviously). There are few things in life, better, that one can do... I hope the area can recover B4 I get too old to make one more canoe trip down that river.
But, that's being a bit selfish. Prayers for all those affected.
I wonder if Rush still has family in the area?
Unless a levee breaches, the Mississippi River flooding in the Cape Girardeau area is pretty predictable. Everyone seems to know what will get flooded when the gauge reaches a certain level. If it is at 46 feet, this state highway will be flooded at this particular place. The record is something like 48.8 feet and we are supposed to see that or something close to it on Saturday. Unfortunately, the people who have water in their homes tonight had water in their homes less than a year ago.
The water got very high, very fast in Doniphan and Van Buren. I55 and I44 were closed for a while in the St. Louis area—and it is still raining.
This is why the land in that area is referred to as “bottom land.”
Also it’s called “Swampeast Missouri”!
Exactly. It kind of like living near a volcano. You get the riches soil, but you run the risk of occasional unpleasantness.
In 2011, I drove from Seattle to the Georgia coast via I-55 through such towns as Sikeston. I got a firsthand view of the land along the Mississippi. I could see the seductiveness of rich, fertile land along a large river, but I could also see the hazards when the river flooded.
We need to ban water.
In IL they call it “Little Egypt”. I’ve also seen it called Egyptian Illinois. The southern most town is Cairo, IL (pronounced kay-rho). My mother lived through the great Ohio flood of 1937. That was a massive flood.
We helped fill sandbags in Olive Branch two days once.
Hard work.Some really bad pictures of this disaster on tv.
Yes, it does not even have to be much of a river. Check out the last photo at the NWS link I gave. The closest waterway of any size would be the Saline River, and that’s not saying much. Van Buren, MO, is in the Ozarks: I guess the water came down the (relatively) narrow valley and had nowhere to go but “rise” on the way to Doniphan.
Check out this vid starting around 1:30 — that bridge in So. Ill is on a “short cut” I’ve taken many times — not sure I’d have felt safe crossing it last Sunday!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cihliq9h7IE
My father was born and raised in Olney I’ll. A lot of the roads are raised ten feet or so above the surrounding fields. Topsoil black as licorice.
Most of Van Buren was wiped out. Most did not have flood insurance. 200 homes and 40 businesses destroyed.. County population is 6000. Town of Van Buren is around 800. Not sure the area can recover as most did not have flood insurance because they were not located in what was flood plain. This flood is unprecedented - totally obliterating any records (by nearly double the volume of water) held since the town was founded in early 1830s.
Most of Van Buren was wiped out. Most did not have flood insurance. 200 homes and 40 businesses destroyed.. County population is 6000. Town of Van Buren is around 800. Not sure the area can recover as most did not have flood insurance because they were not located in what was flood plain. This flood is unprecedented - totally obliterating any records (by nearly double the volume of water) held since the town was founded in early 1830s.
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