Mississippi River reaches April crest level, still rising

The Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau has already reached about the level of its April flood crest, but is expected to keep rising.

The river reached about 42 feet in late April. The latest flood warning from the National Weather Service pegged the river at 42.2 feet in Cape Girardeau at 11:30 a.m. Thursday -- more than 10 feet above the 32-foot flood stage. The warning said the river is expected to rise to near 45 feet Thursday before it starts to fall.

In April, volunteers, National Guard soldiers and town residents worked to bolster Dutchtown's flood protection with sandbags and concrete barriers, but the water was kept at bay. This time the situation is more dire, with the water forecast to reach almost 3 feet higher than it did in April.

Look for more on this story later at www.semissourian.com and in Wednesday's Southeast Missourian.