Rescue teams worked through Saturday across parts of southeast Missouri after a storm system unloaded more than a foot of rain, flooding rivers and campgrounds, collapsing buildings and forcing aerial evacuations. Officials said 361 people had been pulled from rising waters by morning and one woman from Crawford County was found dead.
Searchers find woman swept from home
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Department identified the victim as 23-year-old Faith Gregory. Volunteer searchers located her in Huzzah Creek, about 1.8 miles downstream from her residence near Davisville. Authorities said Gregory was last seen early Friday, around 3:30 a.m., when floodwaters carried her away from the area near her home.
Large-scale rescues, campground evacuations
By Saturday morning, Pacific Fire Protection District public information officer Nicholle Spencer reported 361 people rescued. That total includes 202 campers and counselors who were stranded at Camp Taum Sauk in Reynolds County and were evacuated by helicopters operated with help from the Missouri National Guard.
“The water went down some,” Spencer said. “Things are looking pretty good.”
Emergency responders described widespread damage — floating RVs, collapsed structures and communities suddenly cut off by high water. Local water-rescue units from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and regional agencies joined initial crews, and officials said roughly 75 first responders and boat teams were involved in searches across the hardest-hit areas.
Where rainfall and rivers surged
More than 12 inches of rain fell in places between Thursday night and Friday, with the heaviest amounts recorded near Dillard, Black and Lesterville along the Black River — popular spots for summer camping and paddling. The National Weather Service reported the Black River at Annapolis rose to nearly 29 feet, exceeding its 1993 flood record.
Officials said search and rescue activity was concentrated in Reynolds County, where officials said most structural damage and missing-person reports originated. Severe thunderstorms were expected to continue through Saturday afternoon, complicating response efforts.
What residents need to know
- If you are in a flood-affected area, follow directions from local emergency management and avoid driving through flooded roadways.
- Family members seeking information about evacuees should contact local fire districts or law enforcement agencies handling the rescues.
- Camp families with children evacuated from Camp Taum Sauk were being reunited as aircraft brought campers to safer ground.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| People rescued (by Saturday morning) | 361 |
| Camp Taum Sauk evacuees | 202 |
| Rainfall reported in spots | More than 12 inches |
Response operations were ongoing into Saturday, with crews continuing to search waterways, roadways and neighborhoods. State and local agencies urged residents to remain cautious as waters recede but threats from remaining high currents, debris and damaged infrastructure persist.
News Block will continue to monitor official briefings and provide updates as more information becomes available from county sheriffs, the Missouri National Guard and the National Weather Service.
