Rivers to crest well above flood stage

By The Associated Press

Published: March 21, 2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Residents warily watched as rivers continued to rise Thursday from heavy storms that dumped as much as a foot of rain in the Midwest and left behind more than a dozen deaths.

While the first day of spring brought much needed sunshine Thursday to Ohio and other states, authorities warned that many rivers would crest well above flood stage in the next several days. Flooding also was reported Wednesday in parts of Arkansas, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky.

On Thursday morning, high water closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 — a major east-west highway — for about 4 miles in central Ohio's Licking County, the State Highway Patrol said. The flooding was receding by midmorning, but there was no estimate of when the lanes would reopen.

President Bush declared a major disaster in Missouri on Wednesday night and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in areas affected by flooding. Seventy counties and the city of St. Louis also are eligible for federal funding for emergency protective measures.

Several areas in Missouri were bracing for record-level flood surges expected to hit today and Saturday. Authorities were straining to keep pace with some of the worst flooding to hit their region in decades.

The National Weather Service was forecasting record flooding along the Meramec River near St. Louis. Some residents had already been evacuated Thursday. The Black, Big and St. Francis rivers in southeastern Missouri also were expected to see significant flooding.

The town of Fenton put out a call asking volunteers to help put down sandbags Thursday. Gov. Matt Blunt said cities can count on the state for help as he activated the Missouri National Guard.

Much of Ohio was under a flood warning Thursday, with some areas cautioned to watch for flash floods. Officials in Butler County declared a state of emergency. The river near Circleville was expected to remain over the 14-foot flood stage through Sunday, and authorities asked the Red Cross to prepare possible shelters for flood victims.

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