Voluntary evacuations were ordered Monday in Elwood and Wathena, Kansas.

“We just sounded the alarms right now,” Elwood Mayor George Mitchell said Monday afternoon.

Elwood officials issued the voluntary evacuation as per the city’s evacuation plan which states when the Missouri River reaches 28 feet, a voluntary evacuation will be announced.  At 29 feet, the evacuation became mandatory.

Wathena has a similar plan.  The evacuations in Wathena become mandatory if the Missouri River reaches 30 feet at St Joseph.

The Missouri River topped 29 feet early Tuesday morning but was expected to drop below 28 feet sometime Tuesday.

Wathena City Clerk Jim Richardson said the voluntary evacuation was a way to get people to think about what they want to take with them when they leave.

“At the mandatory level there is not going to be enough time to take everything that you want to take at that time,” Richardson said.

The levee protecting Elwood is in good shape.

“We have no problems at this time with the levee at all, anywhere,” Mitchell said.

The levee is living up to its design, Levee Board president Craig Sheppard said.

“We’re wet on the outside and dry on the inside, so it’s pretty successful so far,” Sheppard said.