Many low-lying roads that normally flood are underwater Tuesday following continual rainfall since the early morning hours. That includes all the roads that cross the Crooked Creek bottoms in Salem Township and crossings on North Fork and Flat Creek in Patoka Township.
Water across Route 37 between Tonti and Brubaker Road resulted in one crash Tuesday morning. The Marion County Sheriff’s Department reports a car driven by 19-year-old Hayden Harper of Alma hydroplaned on the water and ended up partially submerged in the roadside ditch. Harper was able to get out of his vehicle on his own without injury.
The Salem Water Plant has recorded 2.63 inches of rain since the rain began early Tuesday morning through noon. 1.41 inches of rain came before seven Tuesday morning. Another 1.22 inches of rain was recorded from seven am to noon. The Salem Reservoir is now 8 inches over the spillway. A flood watch is not issued until the water is 18 inches over the spillway.
The Centralia Water Plant recorded 1.76 inches of rain through seven Tuesday morning. One gate of Raccoon Lake was fully open to get rid of excess water which will be enough to cause flooding on Brick Hill Road downstream.
Clinton and Washington have been harder hit. A flood warning is in effect until two pm for Washington and Clinton County as a result of four to seven inches of rain through ten am. Number roads are closed, including portions of state highways.
Record rainfall has caused widespread flash flooding across the St. Louis area, closing multiple roadways and prompting rescues from vehicles and homes. At least one person has reportedly drowned when their vehicle was submerged in water at a St. Louis intersection. Several puppies drowned when water got into a building at a stray dog rescue operation in St. Peters.
The National Weather Service says some parts of the region received 11 inches of rain overnight. The weather service says St. Louis recorded more than 8 inches of rainfall, surpassing the record of 6.85 inches from Aug. 20, 1915.
The St. Louis Fire Department has been busy responding to rescues of people stranded in vehicles and houses. A stretch of Interstate 70 was flooded and closed in the St. Louis area.
