Flash flooding in Missouri leaves one person dead as 200 campers are rescued | Missouri
A woman was found dead in Missouri on Saturday after heavy rain that battered parts of the state the previous day forced several emergency rescues and evacuations, including a summer camp of more than 200 children.
The body of Faith Gregory, who went missing after her home was swept off its foundation in Crawford County, Missouri, was found by volunteers late Saturday morning. His body was found about 1.8 miles (3 km) downstream from his home on Huzzah Creek, according to the county sheriff’s office.
“This was not the outcome any of us expected,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Faith’s family, friends and everyone affected by this tragic loss.”
There were no more unnamed people left in the county, about 70 miles (110 km) southwest of St. Louis.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flash flood warning for the region due to the succession of heavy rains.
Several other states also faced the potential for severe storms and flash flooding as slow-moving storms moved south.
The NWS said severe weather affected a wide area stretching from the Ozark Mountains in southern Missouri eastward to much of the Ohio and Tennessee river valleys.
The NWS said the storms could bring damaging winds, heavy rains and scattered flooding to the multi-state region, and impacts could be seen in some locations by Sunday.
In East Tennessee, some roads were closed and power lines down due to flooding; From Kentucky to West Virginia, officials told people to be ready to seek higher ground.
Missouri’s emergency management agency warned that as storms move south and out of the state, more storms could lead to additional flash flooding, especially in areas that have already received 6 and 12 inches (15 and 30 cm) of rain.
“This is a very, very popular place for recreation,” Matt Beitscher, chief meteorologist at the NWS office in St. Louis, said of the affected counties. “So there are campgrounds there. There are floating excursions there. There are a lot of vulnerable populations that could be exposed to flash flooding.”
Friday’s heavy rains washed away roads around Camp Taum Sauk, stranding children and staff in the small southeastern community of Lesterville, according to Sergeant Eddie Young of the state highway patrol. He said the Army National Guard used Black Hawk helicopters to fly them to a nearby elementary school and reunite them with their families.
The camp thanked emergency crews in a post on Instagram, saying: “We appreciate your help in keeping our camp community safe.”
Meanwhile, at the Bearcat Getaway campground near Black River, about 85 miles (140 km) south of St. Louis, campers climbed a building to get away from raging waters, but then the building collapsed, Young said.
“It gave them away because of the weight and the fixed water underneath,” he said.
Three people stranded in trees on the Black River in Reynolds County were also rescued, Young said.
Missouri governor Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency on Friday and activated a search and rescue team to assist. Hundreds of people had been rescued from floodwaters, trees, rooftops and stranded vehicles late Friday, he said.
The Black River continues to rise and is expected to crest more than 28 feet (8.5 meters) near Annapolis in southeast Missouri, which would be a record, Kehoe said, noting that many major roads have become impassable due to flooding and damage.
“As recovery efforts continue and additional rain is expected, I urge everyone in flood-prone and low-lying areas to remain weather alert, have multiple ways to receive warnings, and be prepared to take protective measures,” Kehoe said in a statement.
Two rescue boats capsized in Reynolds County due to flooding, but other emergency personnel rescued the responders safely, the sheriff’s office said.
Meanwhile, a widespread and dangerous heat wave was developing across the United States on Saturday; Triple-digit high temperatures are expected throughout the weekend in the Southwest and Great Plains, then spread eastward under a dome of high pressure that meteorologists say could hold sweltering temperatures for a week or longer.
Forecasters advised people to stay hydrated and find places to cool off, warning of temperatures 15 to 25F (8 to 14C) warmer than normal in many areas, including at night; This is especially bad for people’s health as their bodies won’t have a chance to recover. The heat dome was expected to affect two-thirds of the continental United States.
More than two dozen people died during the previous heat wave that affected much of the United States in late June and early July.
Scientists say climate change caused by the burning of coal, oil and natural gas is causing intense, long-lasting heat waves that affect large areas, among other extreme weather events.
