After six days of heavy rainfall with periods of severe weather, much of the South-ern Scene region faces severe fl ooding, and in many com-munities along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, people have pulled together to be-gin the sandbagging process in hopes of saving homes in danger of being over taken by fl ood water.

According to the Na-tional Weather Service, the Ohio River is expected to crest Tuesday. The predicted crests are: Smithland, 52 ft.; Paducah, 53 ft.; Brookport 55 ft.; Grand Chain, 61.5 ft.; and Cairo, 60.5 ft. Howev-er, more rain is predicted to move back into the area Sun-

day and Monday.While Paducah, Brook-

port, Smithland and Metrop-olis have been listed as hav-ing moderate fl ooding, areas such as Grand Chain and Cai-ro have been classifi ed in the major category of fl ooding.

Because of the situation in Cairo, plans had been an-nounced by the Army Corps of Engineers to intention-ally breach the levee at Birds Point in southeast Missouri's Mississippi County to ease the rising waters at the con-fl uence of the Ohio and Mis-sissippi rivers.

That plan was halted be-cause Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster fi led a motion in federal court and

has said the silt on farmland could take a generation to clear and could damage hun-dreds of homes. Additional-ly, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon opposed the measure.

Illinois State Rep. Bran-don Phelps commended Il-linois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's quick action in fi ghting Nixon's lawsuit to prevent the levee breach.

As of press time according to a report by the Associated Press, U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr. ruled Friday that the Corps could move forward with plans to breach a two-mile wide hole in the Bird's Point levee.

"I thank the court for mak-ing the right decision in al-

lowing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take the steps it deems necessary to ensure public safety during this cri-sis. We must now continue to work together to protect the lives of everyone affected by this severe fl ooding. My hope is that this decision will be upheld as it proceeds through the judicial process," said Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday regarding the latest ruling.

According to Corps spokesman Jim Pogue, the crest at Cairo could reach 60.3 ft. — nearly a foot above its record high — and the wall protects the town up to 64 ft. But the concern is the crest could last up to fi ve

days, putting extra pressure on it.

Another area of concern is Brookport's levee, which is in a state of disrepair, lead-ing Brookport Mayor Judy Askew to issue on April 25 a voluntary evacuation order for residents of Brookport. Friday morning, Illinois Congressman John Shimkus met with Askew along with Brookport council members to assess the fl ooding situa-tion and discuss issues.

After touring Brookport, Shimkus visited Metropo-lis Mayor Billy McDaniel, who took him to an area of Metropolis where backwater threatens homes along Carter Drive. From there, Shimkus visited the Red Cross shel-ter set up at Waldo Baptist Church and then toured other areas of Metropolis near the river as well as the sandbag-ging operation located on East Fifth Street, where Na-tional Guardsmen assisted lo-cal volunteers with sandbag-ging efforts.

On April 26, Quinn ac-tivated approximately up

to 125 Illinois soldiers and airmen to assist the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) for fl ood planning and reconnaissance.

Approximately 15 soldiers with, Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion 130th Infantry Regiment in Marion were activated for a reconnais-sance mission in the Marion area. Approximately fi ve ad-ditional soldiers and airmen from Joint Task Force South were also activated for fl ood planning at the Unifi ed Area Command in Marion. Joint Task Force south includes soldiers and airmen from the 65th Troop Command and the 183rd Fighter Wing, both based in Springfi eld.

On Thursday, Quinn ac-tivated another 200 soldiers and airmen raising the total number to approximately 355 service members on state ac-tive duty to assist the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) with route reconnaissance as well as levee surveillance and main-tenance in Gallatin and Alex-

Ameren Illinois activated the Emer-gency Operations Center (EOC) Thurs-day morning in response to major fl ood-ing in southern Illinois that could impact both electric and natural gas service in some areas.

“The safety of our customers and co-workers is our fi rst and foremost concern. It is imperative that residents be aware of the electrical hazards and natural gas safety issues that may occur during fl oods,” said Ron Pate, Ameren Illinois vice president of operations.

At this time, major fl ooding is occur-ring along the Ohio River with record fl ooding at Cairo.

Record fl ooding also is forecast for the Big Muddy River at Murphysboro and a near record for the Patoka River at Princeton.

Major fl ooding is occurring or fore-cast for portions of the Mississippi, Green, Wabash, Little Wabash and White rivers.

As electrical substations in at-risk ar-eas become threatened, Ameren Illinois

is switching electrical feeds to alternate substations in order to maintain service.

Natural gas regulator stations are be-ing monitored in areas threatened by fl ooding.

While fl ood-related outages were at a minimum on Thursday, the situation was being closely monitored.

Electrical safety advice• When water comes into contact

with energized electrical wiring, ap-pliances and other devices, it creates a major threat of serious injury and elec-trocution.

• Never enter a fl ooded basement or other fl ooded area where water may be in contact with electrical wiring, appli-ances and other devices.

• Never attempt to turn off power at the main electrical panel box if standing in water or on a wet fl oor to do so.

• Never use electrical appliances or devices or touch electrical switches, out-lets or cords if standing in water or are on a wet surface, or even if the individu-als is wet or the device is wet.

• Keep electric-powered tools and equipment at least 10 feet away from water and wet surfaces.

In the event of fl ooding, Ameren Il-linois will turn off electrical power to a home or business at the request of a customer by calling 800-755-5000, es-pecially when fl ood waters are likely to reach the main electrical panel box.

Ameren Illinois also will turn power off at the request of local authorities.

Natural gas safety advice• If a homeowner detects a strong

odor of natural gas, immediately leave the home or business and call Ameren Il-linois customer service at 800-755-5000. Do not turn lights on or off, operate any electrical device, use a phone or light a match inside or near the building.

• If an individual detects a faint odor of natural gas, attempt to follow the odor to its source. It may be an extinguished pilot light or a partially turned on burner valve. These are problems a homeowner can safely and easily fi x. If problem can-

A complimentary publication from your friends at the Metropolis Planet

Monday, May 2, 2011

We cover southernmost Illinois from New Liberty to Karnak

ECRWSSPresorted Standard

U.S. POSTAGE PAIDMetropolis, IL 62960

Permit No. 198

TThe he SSouthernouthern SScenecene

— Continued on Page 8 —

— Continued on Page 8 —

www.metropolisplanet.com

Nancy Holt, executive director of Southern Seven Health Department, is re-minding residents of the fl ooded areas to take precau-tions when dealing with the high water.

Concerns about personal health and safety may in-crease in the days and weeks following recent fl ooding.

Flood water can contain sewer overfl ows, fecal matter, viruses and other organisms that may cause disease. “Take precautions and avoid contact with fl ood water,” advised Holt.

Basic precautions to pre-vent disease include:

— Minimize skin contact with sewer water, especially cuts and sores. Keep them clean and covered

— Don’t allow children to play in contaminated areas

— Do not eat or drink anything exposed to contami-nated water

— Keep contaminated ob-jects, water and hands away from your mouth, eyes and nose

— Wash hands frequently, especially after bathroom use, before eating and immedi-ately following contact with sewer water or contaminated objects or surfaces

Flooded wells should be checked for bacteria. Resi-dents should call Southern Seven Health Department Environmental Health to have a well checked before they resume use of the water. Use only bottled or disinfected

water for drinking, cooking, tooth brushing and bathing until the homeowner knows for sure the water supply is safe. Discard food exposed to contaminated water. Un-damaged, intact cans can be cleaned with a bleach solu-tion before use.

Take the following precau-tions to prevent injury:

• Turn off main power switches if necessary. Air out and wipe dry all appliances and electrical outlets exposed to water before use.

• If homeowners have fuel oil or gas systems, be sure tanks are secure and all lines are free from breaks.

• Wear rubber boots, gloves and mask during removal and cleanup.

• Open windows if pos-sible to ventilate and dry the area. Fans can be used to help with drying.

• Keep children from play-ing in fl ood water.

“If you are in or working around fl ood waters, have not had a Tetanus shot in the last 10 years and are con-cerned regarding your risk of Tetanus, you need to call your local Southern Seven Health Department Clinic for a booster,” added Holt. “The safety of the communities and the residents of southern Illinois are our main concern at this time.”

For more information re-garding fl oods, visit www.southern7.org or call Brad Rendleman at the administra-tive offi ce at 618-634-2297.

Residents advised to takeprecautions during fl ooding

Due to severe fl ooding in the region, several events in southernmost Illinois have been postponed.

Cypress Creek National Wildlife Ref-uge has postponed two events.

The May’s Movie Night, which was set for Thursday, May 5, has been changed to Thursday, May 26 from 7-9 p.m.

The scheduled movie is The Incred-

ible Journey of Butterfl ies.The annual Cache River Nature Fest,

which was scheduled for Saturday, April 30, has been postponed until Saturday, June 4 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The festival will feature hikes, canoe tours, exhibits and a variety of activi-ties.

For additional information, call the refuge offi ce at 618-634-2231.

The Car Show at Shawnee Commu-nity College, hosted by Pulaski County Project Hope, that was scheduled for May 1 has been postponed until Sunday, May 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Red Cross moved more supplies and people into Shawnee Community Col-lege this past weekend due to the fl ood.

For additional information about the car show, call 618-634-3206.

National Day of Prayer will be observed Thursday in both Johnson and Massac counties.

Vienna First Baptist Church will be hosting a ser-vice on Thursday at 6 p.m.

In Massac County, in-dividuals will be gathering from 12:20-12:40 p.m. on the courthouse lawn in Me-tropolis, at Brookport City Hall and at Joppa Village Hall.

Everyone is encouraged to attend an event, and those who are not able to attend are encouraged to spend time in private prayer for the nation, leaders and armed forces.

A National Day of Prayer was established by a joint resolution of Congress and signed into law by President

Harry Truman in 1952. In 1988, President Ronald Rea-gan selected the fi rst Thurs-day in May of each year as the offi cial day for this ob-servance. The mission of the National Day of Prayer is to communicate with every individual the need for per-sonal repentance and prayer, mobilizing the Christian community to intercede for America and its leadership in the seven centers of power: government, military, media, business, education, church and family.

For additional informa-tion about the Vienna service, contact Vienna First Baptist Church at 618-658-3741; the Massac County services at 618-524-4229; or visit www.nationaldayofprayer.org

National Day of Prayerto be observed Thursday

Activities postponed due to fl ooding

Ameren issues utility fl ood safety information

It is much the same scene in many parts of the Southern Scene area: too much water. The area has ex-perienced heavy rainfall which has led to moderate to heavy fl ooding in parts of Pope, Johnson, Pulaski, Alexander and Massac counties. Clockwise, from top left, this house near Mermet is surrounded by farm-land that is currently covered with fl oodwater. In Karnak, these houses have sandbags in place in an effort to ward off the water and below, Bay Valley Road in Pope County is covered by the water.

—Scene photos by Michele Longworth and Clyde Wills

Massive fl ooding grips southern Illinois region