Flood in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

Historic flooding occurred after 12 to 14 inches of rain fell in 48 hours. Widespread flooding of creeks and roads occurred. A dramatic water rescue was conducted on Highway 34 at the Byrd Creek Bridge, where a pickup truck was swept off the road. A passing driver made a risky attempt to pull the driver to safety. Nobody was injured. At least four vehicles in other areas around the county became stranded in floodwaters, requiring emergency personnel to conduct water rescues. The county emergency management director estimated that 200 homes and 13 businesses were evacuated. Evacuation shelters were opened in the county. The villages of Allenville and Delta were under voluntary evacuation orders. Access to Allenville was restricted by deputy sheriffs. A Coast Guard helicopter and boat assisted in search and rescue operations. Residents on a couple of streets in Cape Girardeau were asked to evacuate due to the potential failure of an earthen dam. Mudslides closed several streets. In Dutchtown, water rose over the top of the Hubble Creek levee. Some residents were ordered to evacuate, and major roads leading into town were closed. Throughout the county, a number of vehicles and buildings were flooded, including a school. More than 50 county roads were severely affected by the flood, including washouts of culverts and roadways. The Cape Girardeau airport shut down operations to all but emergency helicopters because of flooded runways. Countywide, at least 184 homes were damaged and one was destroyed. Eleven businesses were damaged.

Torrential rainfall amounts from 6 to 12 inches occurred over a two-day period, causing an historic flood event. A very slow-moving cold front over southwest Illinois and southeast Missouri provided the focus for prolonged heavy rainfall. A deep southwest wind flow brought subtropical moisture across the frontal zone. Two-day rainfall amounts included 13.05 inches at Cape Girardeau and 12.50 inches at Marble Hill (Bollinger County). The highest amounts were just over a foot from Cape Girardeau westward across the hilly terrain of Bollinger and Wayne Counties. At the Poplar Bluff airport, the two-day total was 7.11 inches. Other two-day totals included: 12.52 at the Cape Girardeau airport, 12.08 at Jackson, and 6.30 at Perryville. The rainfall at Cape Girardeau was the greatest single-day rainfall total on record. It contributed to the all-time wettest month at Cape Girardeau. The lowest amounts were near the Missouri Bootheel (in and near New Madrid), where around 4 inches fell. The Missouri National Guard was activated to assist with emergency operations in the hardest hit counties.