Damaging major flooding in Illinois as Mississippi River crests

[phantom power]

The mighty Mississippi River has surged to damaging major flood heights along a 200-mile stretch in western Illinois just north of St. Louis, Missouri. “We have seen some of the worst flooding damage to neighborhoods and homes across our state in Illinois history,” Governor Quinn said on Monday, and he declared 44 counties disaster areas. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency after flash flooding hit many areas of his state. The river has been closed to barge traffic along a 15-mile stretch near St. Louis since Saturday, when 114 barges broke loose from a fleeting area. Eleven barges containing coal sank. Approximately twelve locks on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers have been closed to shipping due to high water. The Mississippi River peaked at top-five flood heights in recorded history Sunday through Tuesday along the 200-mile section north of St. Louis, but is now falling. The flood crest has yet to come from St. Louis southwards, where the river will stay near crest for multiple days, due to 0.5 - 1.0" of rain expected to fall over most of Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, the floods will not be as significant, ranking near the 10th highest floods on record near St. Louis. Flood records along the Mississippi extend back in time to the 1840s to 1940s, depending upon the location.

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Figure 1. Thursday, April 18, 2013: Aerial photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the dam in Marseilles, Ill., after seven barges broke free from a tow and came to rest against the dam. (AP Photo/Courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard, Petty Officer 3rd Class John Schleicher.)