Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency Friday after severe storms unleashed intense flash flooding across central, south-central, and southeastern regions of the state. The declaration activates Missouri's state emergency operations plan, enabling state agencies to coordinate directly with local jurisdictions and expedite emergency assistance.
"Over the past 24 hours, intense storms have created dangerous flash flooding across several regions of Missouri, resulting in multiple swift-water rescues," Kehoe said in a statement. "Activating the plan allows our agencies to move quickly, coordinate resources, and support local response efforts."
The flash flooding triggered extensive rescue operations across multiple counties. Flash flood warnings were in effect for parts of Iron, Reynolds, Andrew, Madison, Washington, Buchanan, Crawford, Clinton, DeKalb, and Holt counties. The U.S. National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Emergency specifically for parts of Iron and Reynolds counties on Friday.
Some areas received between 6 and 12 inches of rain from Thursday night into Friday morning, creating what the National Weather Service described as "extensive and catastrophic flash flooding across eastern Missouri." The heavy rainfall fell on already saturated soil, significantly increasing flood risk and the intensity of the flooding.
A state task force with 50 trained members, specialized equipment, and rescue boats was deployed to affected areas. The Missouri state highway patrol, state emergency management agency, division of fire safety, Missouri state parks, and the Missouri department of conservation coordinated with local emergency responders to assist communities impacted by flooding that affected homes, roads, and campgrounds.
The flooding threat extended beyond Friday. The National Weather Service warned that additional rounds of thunderstorms with heavy rainfall were expected to continue through Friday evening, with a flood watch remaining in effect over the weekend. The Kansas City office of the National Weather Service cautioned that damaging winds and heavy rainfall posed primary threats, though hail and brief tornadoes could not be ruled out.
"Storms will be efficient producers of torrential rainfall that could lead to flooding," forecasters noted.
Governor Kehoe cautioned that "the threat is not over" and warned of additional heavy rain expected through the weekend. He urged residents in affected areas to stay alert and avoid driving or walking through flooded roads.
"If you're camping, floating, or spending time near rivers and streams, move to higher ground and stay alert of weather conditions," Kehoe advised. "Missourians should continue to monitor local forecasts and follow the guidance of local authorities."
Rescue operations remained ongoing Friday as authorities worked to account for all residents and visitors in flood-affected areas while assessing the full extent of damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure.