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RWUS32 KSTL 070952

FFSSTL

MOZ041-042-050>052-071145-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO

450 AM CDT TUE MAY 7 2002



...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR BOONE...AUDRAIN...

AND CALLAWAY COUNTIES UNTIL 645 AM...AND FOR MONTGOMERY AND BOONE 

COUNTIES UNTIL 7 AM...



ALTHOUGH RAINFALLS HAVE TAPERED OFF DRAMATICALLY SINCE 4 AM...RUNOFF 

WILL CAUSE FLOODING PROBLEMS TO PERSIST ACROSS THE REGION EARLY THIS 

MORNING.  



AT 430 AM...BOONE COUNTY EOC REPORTED THAT ROUTE E...JUST NORTH OF 

COLUMBIA...WAS COVERED BY 2 FEET OF WATER...AND WILCOX ROAD WAS ALSO 

FLOODED.  HOWEVER...SOME OF THE ROADS IN THE CITY OF COLUMBIA THAT 

HAD BEEN FLOODED EARLIER IN THE NIGHT HAD BEEN REOPENED.



IN LINCOLN COUNTY...ONE FAMILY WAS EVACUATED FROM A HOME 

IN SILEX...AND ROADS WERE CLOSED BY HIGH WATER IN THE ELSBERRY AREA.



PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE WARNING AREA SHOULD USE CAUTION WHEN VENTURING 

OUT THIS MORNING...AS SOME FLOODING IS UNDOUBTEDLY OCCURRING ON OR 

NEAR RURAL CREEKS AND STREAMS.  BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL WHEN 

APPROACHING BRIDGES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OVERTOPPED BY FLOOD WATERS 

DURING THE NIGHT...AS FLOOD WATERS CAN WEAKEN THE GROUND SUPPORTING 

THE BRIDGE.



EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL 

CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY

ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS AND OTHER 

LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLASH FLOODING.



BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE

DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT

QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY

IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.



MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. AVOID BRIDGES...DIPS...

OR OTHER LOW LYING AREAS...AND NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS

WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT

TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER

SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

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