Southeastern Missouri was hit hard by flash flooding on Friday, turning campgrounds, roads and riverbanks into rescue scenes as water rushed past its banks and campers scrambled for safety. In one of the starkest examples, state taskforce crews saved 40 people, including children, who were stranded at the Black River Lodge in Lesterville.
The rescue effort has become the defining story of the day because it is still unfolding while the water keeps rising and the skies have not fully cleared. Mike Kehoe issued a State of Emergency and activated the state's Emergency Operations Plan as specialized swift water rescue teams from across Missouri moved into Crawford, Reynolds and Iron counties, where Task Force 3, Task Force 5 and members of Missouri Task Force 1 were working the hardest-hit areas.
The scene in Reynolds County showed just how fast the flooding moved. Photos and videos showed the Black River swelling high enough to fill homes, while campers at Johnson's Shut-Ins campground reportedly climbed trees to escape rising water. Campers in nearby campgrounds were forced out in the middle of the night and sent to higher ground, and residents shared images of homes underwater and vehicles submerged.
That flooding was not limited to one stretch of river. Portions of southeastern Missouri took on more than a foot of rain in less than 12 hours, enough to push rivers and creeks beyond their banks across several counties at once. A Flash Flood Emergency was issued in Southern Missouri, a signal that the situation had gone beyond nuisance flooding and into immediate danger for people trapped by fast-moving water.
The pressure point now is not what happened Friday. It is what comes after it. More rain was expected through the weekend, which means the same ground that already forced people into trees, boats and rescue operations could take on even more water before crews get a break. What remains unknown is how many people, if any, were still awaiting help after the rescues already reported, and whether the emergency response will need to widen again if the rain keeps coming.
