Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner tells NewsRadio WJPF that the greatest flooding concern this weekend is in Alexander County.

Rauner said that the flooding forecasts changed overnight Thursday, and water could be two feet higher than what the National Weather Service had previously predicted.

“The levee is eventually going to get washed out. The water is going to come in in a significant way in Alexander County, and we need people to move out,” Rauner said. “Stay safe and get out of there, because the water’s coming. We’ve got to get folks out of there.”

Rauner is touring Grafton, Alton, Pontoon Beach, Prairie du Rocher, Evansville and Chester today. He said he plans to stay in Du Quoin overnight and visit all 12 affected counties before the weekend is over.

Rauner said his office is exploring all avenues to get federal disaster assistance.

“What we are going to try to do is collect as much information as we can after the waters crest,” Rauner said. “We’re going to try to get a special request into the Obama administration to ask for executive order assistance for certain types of financial aid.”

Alexander County officials say volunteers are needed to fill sandbags. If you can help, call the highway department at (618) 776-5431.