Flood safety tips as heavy rain raises water levels across northwest Missouri
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- As heavy rainfall swept northwest Missouri and northeast Kansas over the past three days, some areas experienced flooding.
Anyone who encounters a flooded road while driving is encouraged not to drive through it.
"There’s just no way of knowing how deep it is or if part of the roadway is washed away. It could go underwater very easily," David Vincent, chief of the Savannah Fire Department.
It is very dangerous to walk through or drive through moving flood water.
"It doesn’t take much water to move a car to move a car even," Vincent said. "Once that gets in that water and it's moving, it could easily take you off the roadway."
Vehicles that get stuck in flood water, stay put and call for help.
"If it starts getting too deep, you might have to get on top of the car, but if the water is moving, I wouldn't advise getting into the water if you can avoid it," Vincent said.
If a flash flood warning gets issued in communities, people are encouraged to stay alert.
"If the water starts to rise, you may have to evacuate on short notice, so just be prepared if you're in a flood area; be ready to go anytime," Vincent said.
The most important tip Vincent gives if you're not sure how deep the water is, it’s best to stay away.
"We lose people every year around the country in flood water," he said. "Even emergency responders, so stay safe, stay away from it."
This weekend, more rainfall could be expected, and Andrew County will be keeping an eye out on the water levels.
"We know how quickly the rivers could rise down here, so just be prepared. If we’re asking you to evacuate an area, do that for us; help us out," Vincent said.
The St. Joseph Police Department sent a Nixle alert Tuesday evening about a flood warning for the Platte River near Agency through Saturday evening.
