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CNN Live Today
Missouri Inundated by Floods
Aired May 15, 2002 - 14:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the worst may be yet to come for people in Missouri who have been inundated by flooding there.
Show you what heavy rains have done to one small town about 60 miles south of St. Louis.
Forecasters are calling for dry conditions today, but they do anticipate more wet weather to hit the region either late tonight or tomorrow. There's also talk possibly of rain this weekend.
Jerry Uhlman is with Missouri's Emergency Management Agency and he's life from Jefferson City.
Sir, good afternoon to you.
JERRY UHLMAN, MISSOURI STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Good afternoon.
HEMMER: First of all, update us on the level of water right now on the Missouri and the Mississippi.
UHLMAN: OK. Well, we have flooding, pretty much throughout the state, but our two major rivers, the Missouri and Mississippi -- the gauges are running about 8 to 11 feet above flood stage, so that certainly concerns us at this time.
HEMMER: I think a lot of people, sir, go back to 1993, when they hear about this flooding in the flood stage. It should be important to point out that you anticipate much lower levels than 1993. Is that right? It was 20 feet above about 9 years ago, correct?
UHLMAN: That's correct. We're expecting quite a bit less. Plus, after the flood of '93, we had a large buyout and moved a lot of the people out of the low lying areas. So the ones that normally would be flooding now are no longer there.
HEMMER: What are you hearing, in terms of weather right now, sir?
UHLMAN: Well, we're -- it's clear now, but within the next 2 to 3 days, we're expecting more rain. Of course, what we're really concerned about is the amount. If we get a great deal more rain, well then we'll be in serious condition in several places along those rivers. HEMMER: The other thing I think that's worthy of pointing out right now -- you needed rain, before this started, correct? And back in 1993, you had been hit really hard by rain, about 20 inches, before the flooding began. Is that a fair assessment?
UHLMAN: That is correct. And we had '93, and also the '95 -- that would have been the third largest flood we've ever had.
So we got hit there in a very few years.
HEMMER: What are you telling residents who live along the Missouri, the Mississippi, and the other waters that run through your state?
UHLMAN: Well, I think most of them are preparing very well. They've had experience, they've gone through a lot of floods, as you mentioned. So there's a lot of preparation going on, evacuations as necessary.
So I think the communities are pretty well prepared.
HEMMER: Even though that is the case that you point out, are there other damages to the standard of living that you're seeing right now?
UHLMAN: Well, we -- of course, with the Mississippi River, we have flooding from St. Louis down to the Arkansas border, so we're kind of following that, to see what's going to happen on down the river if we get additional rainfall.
HEMMER: All right, Jerry. Good luck, OK.
Jerry Uhlman, Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, our guest there in Jefferson City. We'll be pulling for you.
UHLMAN: Thank you very much.
HEMMER: Thank you, sir.
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