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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 2 april 2019

More rain causes new flood worries along the Mississippi

Continued from Front

A downtown park on the
other side of the makeshift
levee was under water,
and several homes beyond
the rock and sandbag pro-
tection also were threat-
ened.
In nearby Louisiana, Mis-
souri, the flood briefly forced
closure of the Champ Clark
Bridge that connects Mis-
souri and Illinois because
water was lapping near
the Illinois entrance to the
bridge Sunday night.
The closure created a
hardship for commuters
because the next nearest
river crossing is at Hannibal,
Missouri, 27 miles (43 kilo-
meters) to the north.
But by Monday morning The James River overflows its banks on Saturday, March 30, 2019 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
the river had crested, the Associated Press
bridge deck was clear, line was along the Mississip-
and the Louisiana bridge pi near the Gateway Arch.
was reopened, Illinois De- That road is underwater, so
partment of Transportation the run will end elsewhere
spokeswoman Jessie Deck- in downtown.
er said. The severe flooding from
Precautionary sandbags last month in northwest Mis-
were added to the top souri may have claimed a
of a levee at Foley, a tiny life.
town about 50 miles (80 ki- The Platte County Sheriff’s
lometers) north of St. Louis. Department is investigating
Lincoln County Emergency after a 61-year-old man’s
Management Director Jim body was found Friday
Sharp said the river was ex- near an overturned boat in
pected to get close to the a flooded area not far from
top of the levee and volun- Bean Lake.
teers have been walking The victim’s name has not
the levee to make sure it’s been released.
holding. Authorities in several flood-
“We haven’t had anything ed areas where water was
over the top,” Sharp said. receding warned that dan-
“We haven’t had a breach. ger still exists.
We haven’t had a failure In Sioux Falls, South Dakota,
anywhere.” an intoxicated man was
The river was causing other rescued from the Big Sioux
problems, too. River late Friday after po-
In St. Louis, the route for the lice heard him yelling for
upcoming Go St. Louis mar- help.
athon and half-marathon Rescue crews used a lad-
had to be changed. der to get down a 12-foot
The two runs combined are retaining wall and a rope
expected to draw about to pull the man to safety.
15,000 participants on Sun- He was treated for
day, and the original finish exposure.q