The City of Salem asked residents to evacuate the Starlight Mobile Home Park at mid-afternoon on Monday due to water rising to near the underpinning of one of the mobile homes. While water going over the spillway at the Salem Reservoir had stabilized by early Monday night, Public Works Director Travis Sanders says the evacuation request will remain in effect until at least sometime on Tuesday due to the potential for more heavy rain on top of heavy Monday precipitation.
The Salem Reservoir was 14 inches over the spillway at mid-afternoon when the city went door to door to ask for the evacuation. A flood watch is issued when the water in Town Creek is 18 inches over the spillway.
The City of Salem on Monday also barricaded shut West Kell Street between South Broadway and South College until water levels drop.
The City of Centralia has opened one gate of Raccoon Lake five feet to get rid of excess water. That is enough to flood Brick Hill Road.
Meanwhile, a flood advisory has been extended until 10:30 Tuesday morning for Marion, Clinton, Washington, Fayette, and Bond Counties along with the Metro-East area. The National Weather Service says an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain from thunderstorms is likely through Tuesday morning, with a narrow corridor of up to 5 inches possible. This may lead to flash flooding, or worsen flooding that is already ongoing from previous rainfall.
