4/20/93
By: Bev Darr
Courier-Post Staff Writer

After cresting at 22.42 feet at 5 a.m. Saturday, the Mississippi River receded slightly but is on the rise again today. The river level was 21.99 feet at 10 a.m. today, already above The National Weather Service's crest prediction of 21.7 feet Wednesday.

The NWS forecast severe thunderstorms this afternoon with large hail and damaging winds, with more rain Tuesday and highs in the mid-40s.

Although the new flood levee is protecting the downtown area, several streets in the Bear Creek area are under water. As of this morning, local agencies had had no requests to help anyone move from a flooded area. No local streets have been blocked, but there are barricades on the flooded ones. John Hark, director of emergency management for Hannibal and Marion County, said some people choose to drive around the barricades.

Hark urged everyone to avoid wading or riding bicycles through the flooded streets because "we may have manhole lids that have come off or sewer grates that have come off. It could cause an injury."

The city has sandbags for sale at $1.50 filled or 50 cents empty per sandbag.

Hark said if the river rises two or three feet, he will issue warnings on the radio. Although the city has a warning siren on Lindell Avenue, because of the danger of flash flooding from creeks, there are no sirens on South Side or Ely Street.

To request help in leaving a home, call the street department at 221-0134, City Hall at 221-0111, or 911 if it is an emergency situation, Hark said. "We will help with trucks or boats, whichever is needed, but we do not go in and move someone."

The Salvation Army and American Red Cross are also prepared to help, but neither agency has been contacted.

Salvation Army Capt. John Anderson said a mobile food kitchen is available for flood victims and workers. "We have bedding coming in from St. Louis for lodging at the Salvation Army building at 200 S. Ninth St," he said. This is limited to flood victims. Anyone needing assistance is invited to call 221-4355.

Mary Ann Graham, executive director of the Marion County American Red Cross Chapter, 221-0320, said shelter and food is available for flood victims. She has been visiting the flooded streets, such as Ely Street. "We know these families," she said. "They just ride it out unless it gets to where the emergency management requests them to leave their homes. Sometimes they have to turn the gas off. There are different things that make it dangerous for them to stay there."

City crews are watching the flood levee and new storm sewer system, Hark said, but have not noticed any problems. "If we get a tremendous amount of rain we will know for sure that the system's storm sewer and pump system is working properly."

He said the small amount of seepage at the flood gates on Broadway is normal and "the seepage is running directly to the storm sewer. You can't expect it to seal completely tight."

At Mark Twain Lake, some boat ramps are under water today, but none is closed. "All are usable," said park ranger Shelly Howald. "They are just harder to launch from. They have signs that say Œhigh water' but they will not be closed."

The lake level was 621.8 feet this morning, nearly 16 feet above the normal level of 606 feet. Howald said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will revise its crest prediction for the lake today.