SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING DAMAGES MULTIPLE RESIDENCES
Multiple businesses and residences have received storm and flood damage throughout Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas.
A shelter has been set up at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff and is accepting residents from Butler, Carter, Ripley, and Wayne Counties. SEMO Red Cross says that shelters have also been set up at the Caruthersville Armory in Caruthersville and Christ the Savior Church in Perryville.
Shelters are also available at the West Plains First Baptist Church, and Ellington R-II High School.
According to authorities, a house and barn were damaged as well as several trees uprooted, just north of Matthews. A mobile home was also reportedly destroyed near Wardell in Pemiscot County.
In addition, many are without power this morning. Ameren Missouri is reporting just under 700 outages in Southeast Missouri, mostly located in Pemiscot County.
According to Entergy Arkansas, 1,364 customers in Clay County are currently without power.
MISSOURI GOVERNOR ERIC GREITENS DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
Missouri Governor Eric Greitens declared a State of Emergency Friday ahead of the severe storms that hit across the state this past weekend.
All specialized rescue teams and swift water teams have been deployed, which include assets from the Missouri National Guard, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Task Force 1, the Missouri Department of Conservation, and Fire Mutual Aid Resources.
As of yesterday afternoon these teams have conducted 111 evacuations and 136 separate rescue operations. Many of the rescues were located in Southeast Missouri. Officials in Butler County say that there are multiple water rescue operations currently underway on County Road 607.
Carter County Sheriff Richard Stephens says that rescue boats are working major impact areas attempting to inspect residences to ensure all occupants have made it out safely. Residents have also been evacuated from parts of Fremont. Stephens also says that the city of Van Buren implemented a 6pm to 8 am curfew.
The Doniphan Police Department says that all phone services were taken down Sunday for Ripley County. A satellite phone service was established for the Doniphan Police Department anyone with an emergency is asked to call 573-917-4604 or 573-917-4605. No time table was given for when service would resume. In Wayne County, a voluntary evacuation was requested for those in the area of Red Wood Acre.
WEEKEND STORMS CAUSE FLOODING THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS
The heavy rains we received this past weekend has caused flooding problems on rivers throughout Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas.
According to the National Weather Service, Black River in Poplar Bluff is forecast to hit 21.5 feet sometime today. The normal flood stage in Poplar Bluff is 16 feet. For Black River in Pocahontas, Arkansas, the river is forecast to reach 29.5 feet by Thursday.
For Current River, in Van Buren, the river reached 37.2 feet on Sunday, well above the previous record of 29 feet. It has since dipped down to under 35 feet. A record has also been set for Current River in Doniphan as the river is forecast to reach 36 feet today. The previous record in Doniphan is 26.8 feet.
For St. Francis River in Patterson, the river topped out at 37.05 feet on Sunday, higher than the previous record of 35.8 feet. In St. Francis, Arkansas the river is forecast to rise to 27.5 feet late Wednesday, just short of the record 28.2 feet.
WAPPAPELLO LAKE EXPECTED TO CREST AT OVER 400 FEET ON WEDNESDAY
Both Wappapello Lake and Clearwater Lake have risen dramatically due to this weekend’s storms.
According to the US Army Corps of Engineers, on Sunday Wappapello Lake had risen to 382.52 feet relative to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum and is forecast to crest at approximately 405 feet on Wednesday without any additional rainfall in the watershed.
The discharge at the auxiliary spillway will be increased to 15,000 cubic feet per second today. According to Corps Officials, the Lake will start topping auxiliary spillway at 6:30 am.
At Clearwater Lake, on Sunday the elevation was at 555.87 feet with 61 percent of its flood storage capacity being used. The lake is expected to crest at about 571 feet on Thursday, if there is no additional rain.
Releases through Clearwater Dam’s conduit were increased yesterday to 4,000 cubic feet per second. Officials say spillway releases may increase to as much as 10,000 c.f.s. The largest release ever made from Clearwater was 4,000 c.f.s. in 2011.
The Army Corps of Engineers Clearwater Project Office has closed River Road Park and park rangers are asking campers to move to Piedmont Park as a precautionary measure because of the possibility of increased releases.
US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO BEGIN PHASE 2 OF FLOODFIGHT EFFORTS THIS MORNING
The Memphis District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expecting to begin Phase II floodfight activities this morning.
According to the Corps of Engineers the activities were expected to begin at around 7 am in the Missouri Bootheel and northeast Arkansas due to high river stages on the St. Francis River.
The area of current or possible flooding the Memphis District is focusing on is located in the Dexter and Kennett areas on the St. Francis River. Communities that may be affected include Fisk and St. Francis.
As of 2 pm Sunday, approximately 18 Army Corps of Engineer field personnel were mobilizing to begin the floodfight response. The field personnel will conduct patrols each day from 6 am until 6:30 pm, checking the condition of levees and other flood protection structures and looking for problems like water seepage under levees.
NUMEROUS ROADS FLOODED IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
Numerous roads have been flooded in Southeast Missouri in connection to the weekend storms.
Anyone who is driving is should not drive on high water covered roadways and should never move or drive around barricades placed on roadways due to high water.
Barricades are a warning designed to protect you from an unsafe condition. You can put yourself at serious risk if you proceed into a flooded section of road.
You can find a list of flooded roads on our website as well as online at the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Traveler Information Map at modot.org.
The following roads were flooded in Southeast Missouri:
Butler County: • Route 158-from Route 142 to US 67 • Route 142-Route B in Ripley County to Route 142 in Butler County • Route N-CRD 243 to CRD 232 • Route PP-at Cane Creek; CRD 449 to CRD 423/Route TT • Route W-CRD 542 to Route O; near Hilliard • Route M-at Cane Creek; west of US 67 • Route JJ-west of River Road • Route O-north of CRD 502 • Route 53-Route 51 to Route UU.
Carter County: • Business 60-at Van Buren; near James Street • Route 103-from Skyline Drive to Route Z • Route Z-from Route 103 to end of state maintenance • Route M-at Mill Creek and near Van Buren, Mo. at CRD 100 • Route Y • Route K-between CRD 263 and CRD 239-2
Ripley County: • Route 142-near Oxly; west of Route T and at Doniphan, Mo. • Route NN-near North Prong Little Black River • Route 21-in Doniphan, Mo. • Route A-near 21S-3 to CRD A-7 • Route Y-from Pumpkin Patch Road to CRD Y-3 • Route 160-at Current River near Doniphan, Mo. • Route K-from CRD K-3 to CRD K-4
Stoddard County: • Route K-from Route BB to Route V • Route M-at Leora; near Route K • Route T-from Route 51 to Cobb • Route O-east of Advance; near CRD 310
Wayne County: • Route C-CRD 224A to Route 34 • Route 143-Route 34 in Wayne County to Route 49 in Iron County • Route FF-CRD 378 to CRD 380 • Route KK-south of CRD 456 • Route 34-at St. Francis River Bridge; from Route 143 to CRD 310 (west of US 67) • Route A-at Otter Creek; near Route V • Business 67-from Route D to US 67; near Greenville, Mo. • Route 49-from Mill Spring, Mo. to CRD 440 • Route HH-from Route RA in Reynolds County to Tacketts Pocket near Piedmont in Wayne County • Route D-at East Fork Lost Creek
POPLAR BLUFF POLICE SEARCHING FOR SHOOTING SUSPECT
Police in Poplar Bluff are searching for a suspect in connection to a shooting Friday night.
According to the Poplar Bluff Police Department, on Friday officers responded to a reported shooting which took place on Highway 60 just East of Highway 67.
34 year old Michael Jackson allegedly shot into a vehicle four times with a handgun. The victim’s vehicle had four people inside it at the time of the shooting, including two children.
Police say Jackson should be considered armed and dangerous and anyone with information as to his whereabouts is urged to contact the Poplar Bluff Police Department at 573-785-5776.
