Flooding affects towns far from rivers

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The flood of 2011 has proved troublesome for virtually every river town in Southeast Missouri -- and even for dozens of communities situated far from the waterways.

More rain fell Wednesday, creating new worries as many rivers neared their crest. For much of southern Missouri, it was at least the sixth straight day of rain, and some parts of the region have received 15 inches in that time, said Mary Lamm, a National Weather Service hydrologist.

Rising water has already forced people in many from their homes, including in Poplar Bluff, where the Black River surged over its levee at about 35 spots Wednesday. At least 1,000 people have been displaced since Monday, about a quarter of them staying at a Red Cross shelter set up at Black River Coliseum. More than 100 pets were also at the shelter.

Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs reported 120 water rescues over a two-day period in the Poplar Bluff area.

The levee continued to hold, but water flowing over the top was creeping into an increasing number of homes.

"It was bad all along," Dobbs said."It's just getting worse."

Fighting the rising river

It also was getting worse along the Mississippi River, especially in the Missouri Bootheel and just north.

A couple of dozen homes were in jeopardy in the tiny town of Commerce, but many residents seemed prepared. The small town floods so often that some homes have their own concrete flood walls.

In nearby Benton, volunteers filled sandbags, including shifts of students from a nearby high school.

The seniors started the morning, followed by juniors. Sophomores and freshmen were arriving next.

"They'll get smaller as the day goes on," one volunteer joked.

Southeast Missouri below Cape Girardeau is a delta -- thousands of square miles of land at sea level that tends to be swampy by nature. River water has combined with flooded creeks and drainage backup, creating lakes where fields once stood. Now, in spots along Interstate 55, water spreads as far as the eye can see.

That includes portions of Sikeston, which sits a few miles from the Mississippi. Backwater from drainage ditches has caused significant flooding, threatening 60 homes in an area west of town. Dozens of volunteers gathered at the town's rodeo grounds Wednesday to fill sandbags.

Many school districts in Southeast Missouri have closed indefinitely, largely because so many roads are closed children can't get to school.

The Missouri National Guard has more than 500 troops spread around the region, including 200 in Poplar Bluff.

"This is an important mission," task force commander Col. Wendul Hagler said. "It's about more than a few people. It's about the livelihood of an entire community."