St. Louis County, MO (KTRS) Flood relief efforts continues in the wake of the historic flooding in the region.
St. Louis County leaders gathered Tuesday morning at the Office of Emergency Management for a press conference to discuss those relief efforts and provide updates. St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger reported that there were two sandbag breaches in Eureka Tuesday morning. However, Stenger said those breaches have been repaired.
In the meantime, volunteers are still needed in Eureka for sandbagging efforts. Anyone who can volunteer is asked to call the Eureka Police Department at 636-938-6601.(6368-5233636) 9 (636) 938-523338-5233
St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar made a plea to the residents in Valley Park to comply with the evacuation order,
“We will do everything we can at the St. Louis County Police Department to protect their homes, property, and businesses, period. Everything we possibly can.”
Belmar adds, “We feel like there is nothing more important than life.”
Valley Park officials issued the mandatory evacuation order in response to the rising Meramec River. Residents and business in the protected Levee area were given until noon on Tuesday to evacuate. However, residents and business owners weren’t forced to leave.
After the evacuation deadline, officers went door to door and took information, such as an emergency contact, from those who chose to stay. The collected information will be used in the event of someone perishing in the flood.
About 200 homes in the St. Louis area have been affected by this historic flooding, with about 1500 more homes threatened as river levels rise, according to Mark Diedtrich, direction of St. Louis County Emergency Management.
This also has impacted travel routes. Greg Horn, the District Engineer with MODOT, says motorists can expect road closures to continue for the next several days, “It looks to be with this rain coming in that this will prolong the floods, so you will need to prepare for 44 to be shut down this weekend.”
Late Monday night, crews closed I-44 in both directions between Route 100 in Franklin County and I-270 in St. Louis County.
