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CNN Live Today

Midwest Braces for More Rain

Aired May 16, 2002 - 11:11   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on to the Midwest, where parts of the country there are bracing for more flooding today, the region is still waterlogged from earlier rains. And our Jeff Flock is live in St. in St. Louis. That is where they're watching the high water mark very closely today -- Jeff, good morning once again.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, they said it was going to rain, and sure enough, it's raining. And it may rain again tomorrow, it may rain the next day. And the impact of that on the Mississippi River remains to be seen.

We stand here on the steps of the St. Louis Arch. And, you know, I want to give you a graphic representation of how this water is creeping up the steps of the arch. Perhaps if you look down in there, you can see what this river water looks like as it creeps up the steps here. Some people asked, is this clean, nice clean river water? Well, if you can tell from that camera view, as we put our submersible camera down, you can see the poor man who has to stick his hands down in that river water, it is not real nice, clean water.

But by my estimates and experience, it is about as clean flood water as you're ever going to see. Now, Daryn, you made reference to the crest here, I think. That is expected today at about 37 1/2 feet, which may not mean a lot to you, but perhaps you see it out on the river gauge out there. 37 1/2 feet, that would be about another half a foot beyond where we are right now.

If it only goes to 37 1/2 feet, then that's great, that's wonderful. The water, you know, is pretty well -- things are pretty well holding in terms of the earthen levies as well as the sandbag levies that have been erected. So the question is, will this rain swell more beyond that? And, that, of course, is still to be seen.

You know, I'll tell you, I think we have right on the steps here -- I don't know the if we've got a shot of that -- the school kids that have come out to survey it. And this is the third time in recent memory that water has come up -- creeped up the steps of the arch. So '93, '95, and now again 2002. There you see nice school kids perhaps looking at the latest flood here in St. Louis.

We will of course continue to watch it as well, as they watch us. That's the latest from St. Louis -- back to you, Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Jeff Flock watching the water -- watching the Mississippi there. Thank you so much.

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