The southeast Missouri floods and storms of April and May have been overshadowed in the news lately by the Joplin tornado and the Missouri River floods. But the after-effects of those incidents are still problems in that area.
The Birds Point-New Madrid levee still has gaping holes in it. About 25 percent of the Mississippi River floodway behind the levee still cannot be farmed because of debris.
Southeast Missouri Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson says she had to light a fire under the Corps of
Engineers after a recent visit to check on levee rebuilding…
Emerson says she had a frank talk with the Corps’ chief engineer in Washington….and within a few days, work resumed in earnest on the levee—although she says the Corps will have to add ten feet to the height of it before next spring.
Emerson says she’s pleasantly surprised by the efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Tomorrow is the deadline for flood and storm victims in the area to ask for FEMA assistance, although she might ask the agency to extend the deadline for another couple of weeks.
Listen to Jo Ann Emerson discuss SE Mo. flood aftermath 7:27 mp3