ST. LOUIS, Jan. 1, 2016 (UPI) — Authorities are stepping up the search for two missing teens as record St. Louis-area floodwaters began receding Friday, possibly marking an end to the most devastating flooding the region has seen in decades.
Police tracked a cellphone belonging to one of the 18-year-olds to a flooded area, deepening fears they may have been lost in fast-moving waters. A total of 22 deaths in Missouri and Illinois have been attributed to the flooding, many who died while trying to drive through flooded streets.
At the same time, the waters have receded enough for Interstates 44, 55 and Route 109, major thoroughfares in Missouri, to reopen. More than 100 other state roads remain underwater and closed, the state’s Department of Transportation said.
The storm has tracked across the United States since Christmas, bringing devastating tornadoes and killing dozens. Thousands of people were evacuated from Missouri and Illinois as the Mississippi River crested at near-record heights. The Meramec River, a Mississippi tributary, broke records on Thursday. Kentucky and Arkansas have also seen significant flooding.
More than 500 National Guard soldiers and airmen reported to Missouri for weather-related assistance, including directing traffic, providing security around breached levees and evacuated areas and helping sandbag areas.
“We have a team of seasoned leaders who are well-versed in responding to state emergencies,” Army Maj. Gen. Steve Danner, adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard, said. “[The] Missouri National Guard has supported 14 state emergencies since 2009, including major flooding in 2011.”
The storm is continuing its march across the United States with an aim on the South. Parts of Georgia and Florida remain under flood watches as heavy rain is predicted in already saturated areas.
