The Latest: Mike Pence to visit flood-damaged Oklahoma

The Latest: Mike Pence to visit flood-damaged Oklahoma


3 photos
Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

CARO, Mich. (AP) — The Latest on Midwest flooding (all times local):

1:25 p.m.

Vice President Mike Pence plans to visit homes damaged by flooding in Oklahoma as residents and volunteers work toward recovery.

Pence tweeted Monday that he and his wife, Karen Pence, will travel Tuesday to Tulsa. Pence said he will offer federal assistance to those who have been impacted by flooding that has waterlogged homes along the swollen Arkansas River. Damage has extended from the Tulsa area downstream into Arkansas.

The river is slowly cresting, though more rain is forecast this week. Additional rain is not expected to raise water levels higher than where they crested. Major flooding is expected to subside within a few weeks.

President Donald Trump declared a major disaster in Oklahoma on Saturday. Officials say six people died from severe weather this spring.

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke toured flood-damaged homes Sunday.

___

12:45 p.m.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for another county after recent flooding.

Monday's declaration makes state resources available to help the local response and recovery effort in Tuscola County. Heavy rainfall on May 25 caused widespread flooding in the county, damaging infrastructure and private property in the county located about 80 miles (129 kilometers) north of Detroit.

Last week, teams started working together to assess damage in the Detroit area due to spring flooding. Whitmer earlier announced a state of emergency in Wayne County, which includes Detroit.

Areas along Lake St. Clair and western Lake Erie also have been hit by flooding in recent weeks due to winds and rainfall amid high water on the Great Lakes.

___

10:40 a.m.

The surging Missouri and Mississippi rivers are overtopping and breaking some agricultural levees as floodwaters make their way downstream, forcing evacuations in some rural areas.

The Army Corps of Engineers says a Mississippi River levee that protects an area near the 1,400-person town of Winfield, Missouri, breached Sunday, forcing evacuations in a rural area.

On Saturday, the Illinois River overtopped two levees that protect a combined 1,500 acres in the western part of that state. And sandbags were intentionally removed from a farm levee along the Mississippi River near Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, to allow water through and remove pressure downstream.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was touring flooded areas Monday in the northeast part of the state, where there have been around a dozen water rescues. Statewide, nearly 400 roads are closed, including part of U.S. 136.

___

This version of the Latest corrects the 10:40 a.m. item 2nd paragraph to say a Mississippi River levee not Missouri River.

___

7:54 a.m.

The swollen Missouri and Mississippi rivers are closing hundreds of roads and inundating homes and businesses.

Locks and dams upstream of St. Louis are shut down as the Mississippi River crests at its second-highest level on record in some areas, straining agriculture levees.

Floodgates also have been closed in St. Louis in advance of the river cresting there Thursday.

The high water already is causing problems. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that several hotels that were crowded with visitors for the Stanley Cup Final and Cardinals-Cubs baseball games were left without hot water Sunday after too much water overwhelmed a pump station.

Along the Missouri River, water levels were falling in Jefferson City after a crest that flooded railroad tracks and airport property. Statewide, nearly 400 roads are closed.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Photos

Most recent U.S. stories

Related topics

U.S.
The Associated Press

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast