Steven Bertke and his dog Roscoe are taken to dry land by ºüÀêÊÓƵ firefighters who used a boat to rescue people from their flooded homes on Hermitage Avenue in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
David Carson
Robert Halbrook checks on neighbors with flooded homes on Hermitage Avenue in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. "I've never seen it (water) up to here" said Halbrook who has lived in the area for more than 30 years. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
David Carson
Record rainfall flooded Interstate 70, closing the roadway and stranding cars at Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Photo by Gary Hairlson, ghairlson@post-dispatch.com
Gary Hairlson
Workers try to clear the drains to get water off of Interstate 70 after record rainfall flooded the interstate, closing it and stranding cars near Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters on Tuesday, July 26, 2022.Â
Gary Hairlson, Post-Dispatch
John Ward (left) and a firefighter help Lynn Hartke wade through the flash floodwater on Hermitage Avenue in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
A record rainfall Tuesday across the ºüÀêÊÓƵ metro led to flash flooding, road closures and multiple reports of submerged vehicles, as rescuers across the region scrambled to help people trapped on streets or in their homes.
ºüÀêÊÓƵ fire officials also reported one death: an unidentified man in his 60s was killed around 10:30 a.m. in the area of Skinker Boulevard and Enright Avenue when their vehicle was submerged under several feet of water.
Elsewhere in the city, firefighters scrambled early Tuesday, helping people from their homes and putting small boats in the water to try to check vehicles and make sure no one was inside. Firefighters helped rescue about 70 people.Â
"We're being overrun here," ºüÀêÊÓƵ fire Capt. Garon Mosby said as he closed out a video Tuesday morning on Twitter, urging people to avoid standing water.
The flooding left similar scenes across the region:
In St. Charles County, floods shut down Interstate 70 and other roadways throughout the county, stranding motorists and forcing residents out of their homes to be rescued by first responders. I-70 was reopened by 10 a.m., but the Missouri Highway Patrol and county leaders urged residents to staff off roads if possible. Other interstates in the region were also closed in the morning, including lanes on I-170 and I-270.
In the 2700 block of Hermitage Avenue, in the southwest part of ºüÀêÊÓƵ, fire crews went to about 18 homes with substantial flooding and reports of people trapped inside. They rescued six people and six dogs. Fifteen people decided to stay put.
Rescued puppies drowned at the Stray Paws Rescue in old town St. Peters. And the St. Clair County Animal Control Center had to evacuate all the animals out of the center after it flooded.
Across ºüÀêÊÓƵ, multiple vehicles were stranded in floodwaters near Forest Park Parkway and South Vandeventer Avenue, along North Kingshighway, and at Interstate 44 and Jefferson Avenue. In the 1000 block of North Skinker, fire crews in small rescue boats were searching for anyone who might be stranded.
Metro announced that its bus, train and Call-A-Ride passengers could see delays of two hours of more because of the flash flooding. MetroLink train passengers were being shuttled by bus between some stops. Officials at the Gateway Arch National Park decided to not open the facility after flooding in the west entrance and the tram loading area.
Meanwhile, the ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Emergency Management office was directing everyone to a single shelter, at Richmond Heights Community Center, 8001 Dale Avenue.Â
St. Ann opened an emergency center at the St. Ann Community Center off of St. Charles Rock Road, where about 25 people and a few pets sought shelter Tuesday morning, said Maureen Jaggard with the city's parks and recreation department. By the afternoon, all of them had gone home to begin cleaning up and everyone else was being directed to the regional shelter in Richmond Heights. But Jaggard said residents and others can get flood cleanup kits, donated by the Salvation Army, from the St. Ann Community Center.
In University City, families run out of their homes by floodwaters were initially directed to shelter at some area schools, but by mid-afternoon they also were being directed to the ºüÀêÊÓƵ County shelter. Â
In St. Charles County, St. Charles West High School and Fort Zumwalt West High School opened to provide temporary shelter to displaced residents.
The American Red Cross of Greater St Louis was sending volunteers and supplies such as water, blankets and food to the local shelters. Red Cross disaster assessment teams were on stand-by to determine the extent of damage to area homes, and the organization will help connect families to area social services.
The best way to help the Red Cross assist families hit by flooding, or any other natural disaster, is through financial donations, said Red Cross spokeswoman Sharon Watson.
Record rainfall in ºüÀêÊÓƵ area
The National Weather Service office in Weldon Spring said the ºüÀêÊÓƵ metro area experienced record rainfall. ºüÀêÊÓƵ recorded 9.07 inches of rainfall from midnight Monday to about 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to a reading taken at ºüÀêÊÓƵ Lambert International Airport. The old record was 6.85 inches on Aug. 20, 1915.
Thunderstorms transitioned to light rain at about 8 a.m., and a light rain is expected to keep falling until the early afternoon.
The National Weather Service had issued a flash-flood watch on Monday morning for areas north of ºüÀêÊÓƵ, such as Quincy. But on Monday night about 7 p.m., the Weather Service realized the flooding could stretch farther south to include the ºüÀêÊÓƵ metro area, said meteorologist Kevin Deitsch.
Some areas in central to eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois could see more than 12 inches, the Weather Service said.
"You couldn't see where you going because it was raining so hard," he said. "All of the sudden I just hit the water and my car shut off. I was a lame duck out there in the middle."
His car started taking on water, so "I just got out and walked off the highway," Andrews said. "The water obviously kept getting deeper and deeper."
Highway 61 near Flint Hill also was closed due to high water.
At about 4:45 a.m., Deer Creek exceeded major flood stage at Litzsinger and Rock Hill roads, as did Fee Fee Creek in Maryland Heights, officials said.
Miles away in ºüÀêÊÓƵ' Ellendale neighborhood, Margaret Schellert, 65, awoke to her son telling her the roof was leaking. Within minutes, the water was pooling beneath her carpet and swamping her son's motorcycle out back. She said she didn't have flood insurance her house of 34 years because she never thought she'd need it. "All I can do is pray," she said.
Move the white slider to see Hermitage Avenue in ºüÀêÊÓƵ at 6 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2022, and again at 2 p.m. The River Des Peres flooded the street more than 4 feet in some areas.
**All Time Daily Rainfall Record at ºüÀêÊÓƵ Shattered**
Through 7AM...8.06" of rainfall has been observed which breaks the all time daily rainfall record from August 20th 1915 of 6.85" (remnants of the Galveston 1915 Hurricane).
— NWS ºüÀêÊÓƵ (@NWSStLouis)
One of the MANY responses this morning for motorists stranded in high water (900blk of N. Skinker).
At least three vehicles completely submerged.
— Garon Patrick Mosby (@GaronMosby)
Also don’t sleep on the flood potential tonight. Yes it has been dry, but a narrow band of 6+ inches falling in a short period of time is certainly possible and would cause issues.
— Kevin Deitsch (@KDeitsch_wx)
The Forest Park DeBaliviere Metrolink station is flooded.
This is not normal.
— 10th STL Urbanist Regiment (@TonyInStLouis)
The Forest Park DeBaliviere Metrolink station is flooded.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made the announcement at the Emerson Park MetroLink station in East ºüÀêÊÓƵ, held coincidentall…
Steven Bertke and his dog Roscoe are taken to dry land by ºüÀêÊÓƵ firefighters who used a boat to rescue people from their flooded homes on Hermitage Avenue in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Robert Halbrook checks on neighbors with flooded homes on Hermitage Avenue in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. "I've never seen it (water) up to here" said Halbrook who has lived in the area for more than 30 years. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Record rainfall flooded Interstate 70, closing the roadway and stranding cars at Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Photo by Gary Hairlson, ghairlson@post-dispatch.com
Workers try to clear the drains to get water off of Interstate 70 after record rainfall flooded the interstate, closing it and stranding cars near Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters on Tuesday, July 26, 2022.Â
John Ward (left) and a firefighter help Lynn Hartke wade through the flash floodwater on Hermitage Avenue in ºüÀêÊÓƵ on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
After discovering the Gateway Arch was closed to visitors, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, due to flooding, Eric Aldrich, of Columbia, Mo., along with his daughters, Rylee, 6, and Allie, 10, right, along with their step-grandmother Evelyn Barton, left, of ºüÀêÊÓƵ, decide what to do. Photo by Hillary Levin, hlevin@post-dispatch.com