Governor Bruce Rauner
Governor Bruce Rauner

Evacuations have been ordered, and the National Guard has been called out as water flows over levees in Alexander County this morning, flooding farmland, roads and residences.

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner called out the National Guard Friday, ordering 20 soldiers to Marion to help local first responders in the flooded areas.

Residents in Fayville, Miller City, Willard, Olive Branch, Hodges Park, Unity and Sandusky have been urged to evacuate. McClure and East Cape Girardeau are also under a voluntary evacuation.

The National Weather Service estimates the Mississippi River in Thebes will crest at 48.5 feet on Sunday – that nearly three feet above the 1995 crest record of 45.9 feet.

So far, the levees are holding – if they break, emergency officials will sound tornado sirens.

If you need shelter, the Osage Center in Cape Girardeau is open.

If you have pets that you cannot keep with you as you evacuate, they can be brought to the 4-H building in Cape Girardeau, where the Humane Society will care for them.

In Jackson and Union counties, there is concern about the Big Muddy River levee breaching – which would flood Grand Tower and move south into Union County.

Many Grand Tower residents have evacuated, and all those remaining are urged to leave.

Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau has made the decision to open its student housing immediately to any SEMO students in need of shelter because of flooding, whether or not they were residing in dorms there before the floods. If you are a SEMO student in need of shelter, call University Police at (573) 651-2215.