About 14 inches of rain fell in parts of Missouri and Illinois during the last week of December 2015, causing widespread flooding along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. The rare winter flood claimed at least 25 lives. More than 200 roads were closed, and while many have been reopened, roughly 50 roads remain closed for miles, particularly in rural areas. Illinois governor Bruce Rauner declared 34 counties disaster areas. In Missouri, governor Jay Nixon said that there were several thousand damaged or destroyed buildings in the region and about half a million tons of debris that will need to be removed. In all, residents of 33 counties of Missouri are eligible for individual disaster assistance following a presidential disaster declaration.
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Sources: ABC News, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, FEMA, responding NGOs
A rare winter flood dumped between 9 and 16 inches of rain across the Midwest during the last week of December, causing flooding along the Mississippi River and its’ tributaries. The floods caused at least 25 deaths in Missouri and Illinois.
In Missouri, residents of 33 counties of Missouri are eligible for individual disaster assistance following a presidential disaster declaration. Missouri governor Jay Nixon said that there were several thousand damaged or destroyed buildings in the region and about half a million tons of debris that will need to be removed. The number of damaged and destroyed buildings is expected to rise across the state as damage assessments continue.
Facts & Stats
- Ten sites in Missouri and Illinois recorded record-level river crests as a result of the rain and flooding at the end of December.
- Several areas in Missouri have had their wettest winters on record, including: St. Louis: 11.74 inches, previous record was 7.82 inches in 1982; Springfield: 11.43 inches, previous record was 11.02 inches in 1895; and Joplin: 9.77 inches, previous record was 7.67 inches in 1999.
CDP Blog Posts
- Read Anna and Nancy’s blog, Record Flooding in Midwest and South.
- United Way of Greater St. Louis Flood Fund has raised $300,000 to date. United Way’s executive board approved emergency funding of $250,000 to help with the region’s disaster response.
- CDP’s Midwest Early Recovery Fund is working in Missouri. Email Nancy Beers at email@example.com for more information.