Emergency shelters open across St. Louis region following flash floods

ST. LOUIS (KMOV) – Shelters are setup across the St. Louis metropolitan area to help people forced from their homes because of flooding overnight.

One of those shelters is The Heights Community Center where as many as 100 people can sleep Tuesday night.

University City resident Larika Tucker said she doesn’t know what to do next for her and her five children.

She says one of her kids woke her up to her house flooding Tuesday morning.

“We had to bust the window, climb through, go down the rope, and get out to higher ground because the higher water,” she said

Tucker said she’s worried about her mother who is still in her house as of Monday evening. The house has water damage, including all furniture and her bed mattress but refuses to leave.

“Someone help us because it is a disaster,” Tucker said.

Congresswoman Cori Bush was trying to assist that family. Bush could be seen speaking with each displaced person at the Heights over several hours Tuesday.

She said she’s working with state and federal leaders to get aid to St. Louis.

“One of the biggest concerns is people still in those homes that did not leave, trying to wait it out, not knowing what’s going to happen with four more inches overnight,” Bush explained. “Also the water is moving. I’m not a weather person, but I need to know where this water is moving and who is at risk.”

Shortly after St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page announced he had signed an Executive Order, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, acting on behalf of Gov. Mike Parson, signed Executive Order 22-05. The order signed by Kehoe is also the first step required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in order for Missouri to seek a federal Major Disaster Declaration. Gov. Parson is currently on a trade mission to Germany and the Netherlands.

There isn’t a known timetable for how soon FEMA aid could arrive, if it is secured.

• The Heights in Richmond Heights will only be a shelter for 24 hours.
• The shelter in north St. Louis County has moved to a new location: St. Vincent Community Center on St. Charles Rock Road.
• The Maryland Heights Community Center at 2300 McKelvey Road is also a shelter.
• The Urban League is holding a food, clothing and sanitizer event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 8960 Jennings Station Road.
• In the Metro East, residents can find help at Mason Clark Middle School in East St. Louis.

To get an emergency shelter added to this list, email Desk@KMOV.com.

Anyone impacted by flooding and who needs a safe place to go can call 211, the same number can also be dialed if you have damaged property from flooding.

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