The state of Missouri continues its cleanup after historic flooding.
Regional Coordinators with the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency said their people will continue to assist local officials with initial damage assessments this week.
“As of yesterday [Sunday], the Missouri Disaster Medical Assistance Team (MO DMAT-1) also deployed to Lesterville to provide patient care for first responders and flooding survivors,” officials said. “They’ve treated a couple responders injured in the debris, assisted some individuals with refilling prescriptions that were lost to the floods, and have conducted welfare checks for those unable to leave their homes.”
The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency stated over the weekend that its state and local first responders are continuing efforts to ensure the safety of people in flooded areas of the state.
Missouri Task Force 1 is searching in and along the Black River, which has receded from its record flood stage and had divided the river into segments and is walking the riverbanks as they move downstream, methodically searching buildings, debris and anything else they find.
“This effort is expected to last for several more days,” a social media post stated from Saturday. “They continue to work in close coordination with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, sheriffs, police, and the fire service as they search and share information that comes in about potential missing persons. The Patrol is also checking additional locations today to make sure everyone is accounted for and to help anyone or agencies in need of assistance.”
According to an Associated Press report on Saturday, the National Weather Service said the severe weather impacted a wide region stretching from the Ozark Mountains in southern Missouri eastward into much of the Ohio and Tennessee river valleys.
The service said the storms could bring damaging winds, heavy rainfall and scattered flash flooding to the multistate region, with some places seeing impacts into Sunday. In eastern Tennessee, flooding closed some roads and downed power lines, and authorities from Kentucky to West Virginia told people to be ready to seek higher ground.
Friday’s drenching rains washed away roads around Camp Taum Sauk, trapping children and staff at the site in the small southeastern community of Lesterville, according Sgt. Eddie Young, with the state’s highway patrol. The Army National Guard used Black Hawk helicopters to fly them to a nearby elementary school and reunite them with their families, he said.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
