Record-breaking floods strike Missouri causing unprecedented disaster and death

'It's very clear that Missouri is in the midst of a very historic and dangerous flooding event.'

Thirteen people have been reported dead as a result of the Missouri floods caused by severe storms this weekend. Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and contacted the National Guard to assist first responders during the continued storms.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Missouri has been experiencing severe storms over the weekend and into the early part of this week, causing river levels to rise and cars to be swept away.

In a statement released to reporters on Tuesday, Nixon warned that flooding could potentially reach record levels.

"It's very clear that Missouri is in the midst of a very historic and dangerous flooding event," he said. "The amount of rain we've received, in some places in excess of a foot, has caused river levels to not only rise rapidly, but to go to places they've never been before."

Two-hundred families from Branson were asked to evacuate, leaving room for the Red Cross to open a shelter on the Branson Strip.

At nearby Rockaway Beach, residents reported floodwaters the worst they had ever witnessed.
Rick Pickren, the owner of an antique store, told KYTV, "I'm usually pretty good about coming up with a game plan, and yesterday, literally my mind shut down because I didn't know what to do."

Mayor Don Smith joined volunteers going door-to-door to encourage people to evacuate, as Rockaway Beach "has just been demolished."

Smith told KYTV, "It's devastating, and we are all so exhausted."

The Mississippi River overflowed into a levee in West Alton, which led the mayor do call for an evacuation. Several interstates were closed off and flooded.

Rivers are expected to reach the same levels at they did in 1993, which has been called the "great flood," Nixon reported.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service believes the Mississippi River at Chester, Illinois will crest at 49.7 feet on Friday, which will match its 1993 record.

The Mississippi at Thebes is expected to reach the record level of 47.5 feet.

Nixon said, "All of us remember the devastating impact of the Great Flood of 1993. and [sic] that's why we have been working proactively with our local and federal partners to prepare and respond."

Thirteen people have been reported dead in the recent storm, twelve of whom were caught in their vehicles after they were swept from flooded roadways, Nixon reported.

"Please do not drive into water," he urged. "We've had 12 preventable deaths here already. Twelve of the 13 deaths happened when folks drove into water."

Though Nixon claimed no more rain was expected, flooding would probably continue for days as rivers crest.

National Weather Service coordination meteorologist Jim Kramper stated, "This event is not over. We've got a lot of water that we have to get out of the state."

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