Hundreds of people, including young campers, were rescued across Missouri on Friday after flash flooding caused by a once-in-a-thousand deluge turned rivers into raging torrents.
A series of thunderstorms dumped 6 to 12 inches of rain across southeast Missouri, in what officials described as a once-in-1,000-year rainfall event.
Historic heavy rains overnight prompted Gov. Mike Kehoe to declare a state of emergency and activate one of the largest search and rescue efforts in the state.
The flood swept the Black River and adjacent streams in southeastern Missouri, endangering large numbers of residents and vacationers.
Kehoe said more than 200 water rescues were conducted throughout the area.
Victims were stranded in floodwaters, on trees, rooftops, and in vehicles.
About 200 stranded campers were rescued and airlifted to safety by National Guard helicopters Friday afternoon from Camp Tawm Stock in the stricken Reynolds County area, according to State Highway Patrol Sergeant Eddie Young.
Young confirmed that half of the evacuees from the summer youth camp, located 100 miles south of St. Louis, were children and the rest were camp counselors and staff.
Elsewhere in Reynolds County, about 20 people were swept away after a building collapsed at Bearcat Gateway Campground due to the weight of stranded campers who had climbed to the top of the roof to escape raging floodwaters, Young said.
Three other people were rescued from trees along the Black River in Reynolds County.
Between 20 and 30 people were reported missing throughout stricken Reynolds County, including campers who were swept away from the Bearcat Gateway Campground, but by Friday evening, all had been rescued or were safe.
No deaths or serious injuries have been reported so far.
But one woman in Crawford County, located 71 miles southwest of St. Louis, remains missing after the house she was in was washed away by floodwaters.
“Missouri’s first responders once again responded to the call with extraordinary courage, professionalism and compassion, saving hundreds of Missourians from dangerous floodwaters,” Kehoe said.
“As recovery efforts continue and additional rainfall is expected, I urge everyone in flood-prone and low-lying areas to remain weather aware, have multiple ways to receive alerts, and be prepared to take preventative action.”
Eight states have deployed flood watches for more than 21 million people from Missouri to Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to the National Weather Service.
Additional rain is expected Friday night across the saturated area, though the weather service warned of “the potential for significant flooding impacts” if southeast Missouri experiences more heavy rain overnight into Saturday morning.
With mail wires