HEAVY RAINS POSE FLOOD THREAT

April showers bring May flowers, but they also brought flash floods, hail and rising creeks to Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois Sunday.

Severe thunderstorms, hail and strong winds ripped through the area early Sunday evening, but no major damage was reported. A severe thunderstorm watch was in effect for most of the area until 1 a.m. today.

No severe flooding was reported, despite the 1.26 inches of rain that fell Sunday. Today's forecast calls for an 80 percent chance of rain and a chance for showers continuing through Friday.

Very little flood damage was reported to area sheriff's departments. But rising waters coupled with sudden downpours threatened to overflow the banks of Cape La Croix, Apple and Byrd creeks in Cape Girardeau County.

However, no sandbagging or other efforts are planned for the areas since flash floodwaters often recede as quickly as they come, said Dave Hitt, emergency operations coordinator for Cape Girardeau County.

County Road 349 near Highway 72 was covered with nearly 2 feet of water around 5 p.m. Sunday, and Highway J was closed temporarily because water covered part of the road, said a spokesman for the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department.

A portion of Highway 72 near Millersville was flooded when the Whitewater River overflowed its banks Sunday morning. Both Hubble and Juden creeks also flooded in some areas during the day, Hitt said.

In Scott and Bollinger counties, no flooding was reported to the sheriff's departments. In Perry County, water covered parts of two county roads, but no major damage was reported, the sheriff's department said.

With forecasters calling for more rain throughout the week, rising waters could pose a problem for the area.

Some creeks were already over their banks and any more rain could add to that problem, Hitt said.

In other parts of the county, roads were covered with debris and water. Weather-spotters call with information about flooded roads and that information is relayed to the sheriff's department, Hitt said.

When drivers come to a flooded area, they should turn around and choose another route, he added. "They shouldn't enter because they don't know the depths or if there are currents under the surface," he said.

Heavy rains drowned the enthusiasm Sunday for a self-conducted driving tour of the Mississippi River Valley area. Few cars could be found driving the scenic back roads of Southeast Missouri. Many of the route's activities, like a quilt show at Apple Creek Church or the Spring Craftsfest at Black Forest Villages, were canceled Sunday afternoon.

In the past, the two-day tour also has been plagued with rainstorms. About 4,000 cars were expected to drive the 150-mile route from Cape Girardeau to Perryville to Marble Hill.