Spring Break
River threatens local towns (6/18/08)
Deanna Bellandi (AP)
Issue date: 6/18/08 Section: News
More than a dozen people sandbagging a Mississippi River levee before it broke in western Illinois had to be rescued from by helicopter Tuesday as water gushed across thousands of acres of farmland and into the village of Gulfport, officials said.
The break prompted further evacuations of river-area residents and forced the closure of the Great River Bridge that connects Gulfport to Burlington, Iowa via U.S. Highway 34.
Illinois conservation officers and a medevac helicopter from Iowa were able to rescue those stranded at the levee, as well as motorists stuck on U.S. 34 and at a house in nearby Carman, Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office said.
The river blew a massive hole in the levee about 5 a.m. and deluged farmland, covering at least 5,000 acres by late morning Tuesday, Henderson County Chief Deputy Donald Seitz said.
"The whole town will be under water," Seitz said, calling the levee break "very devastating" for the small agricultural community of Gulfport. He says more than 10,000 acres could be affected.
Seitz said parts of U.S. 34 also are under water and at least one motorist had to be rescued from atop his car.
Western Illinois officials continued prompting residents to get out of areas near the Mississippi. People were being urged Tuesday to evacuate areas around Gulfport and Carman, near the Iowa-Illinois line, said Illinois Emergency Management Agency spokesman Chris McCloud.
Seitz estimated at least 500 people were displaced by the Henderson County levee break.
McCloud said there have been more than a half-dozen levee breaches in Illinois in the past week or so, including in the Mercer County community of Keithsburg, where water continued to rise.
Some areas of Keithsburg were under more than 6 feet of water Tuesday, Alderman George Askew said. He said Keithsburg didn't see any immediate let-up in the water level after the Henderson County levee broke about 30 miles upriver.
"We hoped it would (help), but we didn't want to have any bad wishes on anybody else," Askew said.
The break prompted further evacuations of river-area residents and forced the closure of the Great River Bridge that connects Gulfport to Burlington, Iowa via U.S. Highway 34.
Illinois conservation officers and a medevac helicopter from Iowa were able to rescue those stranded at the levee, as well as motorists stuck on U.S. 34 and at a house in nearby Carman, Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office said.
The river blew a massive hole in the levee about 5 a.m. and deluged farmland, covering at least 5,000 acres by late morning Tuesday, Henderson County Chief Deputy Donald Seitz said.
"The whole town will be under water," Seitz said, calling the levee break "very devastating" for the small agricultural community of Gulfport. He says more than 10,000 acres could be affected.
Seitz said parts of U.S. 34 also are under water and at least one motorist had to be rescued from atop his car.
Western Illinois officials continued prompting residents to get out of areas near the Mississippi. People were being urged Tuesday to evacuate areas around Gulfport and Carman, near the Iowa-Illinois line, said Illinois Emergency Management Agency spokesman Chris McCloud.
Seitz estimated at least 500 people were displaced by the Henderson County levee break.
McCloud said there have been more than a half-dozen levee breaches in Illinois in the past week or so, including in the Mercer County community of Keithsburg, where water continued to rise.
Some areas of Keithsburg were under more than 6 feet of water Tuesday, Alderman George Askew said. He said Keithsburg didn't see any immediate let-up in the water level after the Henderson County levee broke about 30 miles upriver.
"We hoped it would (help), but we didn't want to have any bad wishes on anybody else," Askew said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
kathy dougherty
posted 6/18/08 @ 11:22 PM CST
Although our fight isnt over with the Mississippi River, Id like to thank everyone and businesses from this area who have responded to our request for help by coming over to our small communities in Hancock County to help fill sandbags. (Continued…)
Richard
posted 11/17/08 @ 5:56 AM CST
Thank you very much for the love and support you have offered. This article is very informative. It will be good for us.The colour combination of your website is fantastic. (Continued…)
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