Flash Flood in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

Flash flooding occurred at numerous major intersections throughout the city. Numerous vehicles were stranded on flooded streets, including at least one that floated away. A vehicle with several occupants nosedived into a creek. All the occupants were rescued safely. A total of 16 to 20 emergency responses were for flooded vehicles. One man was swept into a ditch but was unharmed. The Westerior/Silver Spring area was hardest hit by the flash flooding. An arena was flooded. At least several homes sustained some water damage. Rainfall rates were measured at nearly one inch per 30 minutes. Slow-moving thunderstorms trained northward across the city.

Local streams flooded, trapping a woman in her car. The woman was trapped west of Jackson on Highway 72 due to flooding of Byrds Creek. The vehicle was swept off the roadway. Firefighters used ropes and swift water rescue gear to reach the victim, who was then removed from the car with the help of a ladder truck. Numerous roads were closed, including State Highways 72 and 34. County roads sustained heavy damage from the flooding, especially roads along the Whitewater River and Byrds Creek. In Jackson, low water bridges were underwater. Rainwater flooded the storage area under the band room at Jackson High School. From the overnight and early morning thunderstorms, a co-operative observer in Jackson measured 5.97 inches. The emergency management center reported 5.8 inches fell in Jackson.

Rainfall from 2 to 6 inches inundated most of the county. Most of this rainfall occurred within a few hours. At Jackson, a co-operative observer measured 5.70 inches. About 90 residents, mostly in Cape Girardeau, reported flooded basements. Water reportedly entered a few homes in Jackson. In Cape Girardeau and Jackson, many people were evacuated from stranded vehicles. The Cape Girardeau fire department responded to 10 calls from stranded motorists. Numerous streets were flooded. Flooding of major thoroughfares took place, and a flood emergency was declared along and west of Interstate 55 from Cape Girardeau to Jackson. Many roadways were barricaded. Arena Park and other low-lying areas near creeks were flooded. Up to two feet of water was observed on Missouri Route C just west of Gordonville.