Missouri officials expect number of road closures to increase

Taneycomo flooding. Photo courtesy of KOLR/Missourinet.

(Missourinet) – At least 77 state-owned roads in Missouri are under water, and MODOT officials expect that figure to increase.

Mark Fuchs with the National Weather Service says two or more inches of rain is expected Tuesday in the St. Louis region.

Extensive pavement repairs will need to be performed at the I-44 bridge at the Gasconade River after it was overtaken by water. Photo courtesy KOLR/Missourinet.

“It appears that the majority of the impact from this oncoming rain will be in the form of a secondary crest behind it or a prolonged bit of flooding for the folks that are near crest down near the bottom of the Meramec River basin,” Fuchs said.

Sgt. Al Nothum said the State Patrol is working long hours to help keep Missourians safe. Hundreds of water rescues have been completed since Saturday.

“Our marine troopers have been working literally for the past three days around the clock,” Nothum said. “I talked to one the other night and I think he had three or four hours of sleep, then he was getting up again and going out again.”

Three people have been killed by the recent flooding, including in mid-Missouri’s Pulaski County, southwest Missouri’s Clever and eastern Missouri’s Jefferson County.

For the latest information about road closures, go to modot.org.