Story perspectives

Rare 0.1% Floods Trigger Missouri Emergency, 100 Rescued

7/11/2026

Left

Kehoe Declares Emergency

Meteorologists called the 24-hour, 6-12-inch downpour in southeastern Missouri a once-in-a-thousand-years event, an extremely 0.1 % chance.
About 100 people were rescued from flash-flooded areas of Iron and Reynolds Counties in Missouri.
Governor Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency for Missouri in response to the flooding.
Sheriff Chuck Helton said distress calls began at 3 a.m., prompting swift-water rescues throughout the night.

Right

Black River Flood

The Black River at Annapolis in Iron County surged past 28 feet, setting a record flood stage.
Missouri officials report that floodwaters have forced multiple central and southeast roads to remain closed.
National Weather Service called the flood catastrophic, and meteorologist Matt Beitscher called it unprecedented locally.
Task Force 1 rescued stranded campers and Boone County Emergency Management director Chris Kelly urged alerts.

Center

Officials Rescue 90

All campers and rescue personnel from collapsed Bearcat Getaway campground structure and two capsized boats were recovered without serious injuries.
Missouri officials rescued over 90 people after flash floods and a building collapse at Bearcat Getaway campground in Reynolds County.
Governor Mike Kehoe declared an emergency and activated the Emergency Operations Plan for central-southeast Missouri.
National Weather Service warned of six inches of rain and flash-flood risk through Saturday.

History

Historical Context

The Mississippi River’s flood legacy began with the 1927 disaster that killed roughly 500 people and spurred the Mississippi River Commission to expand federal levee construction. Decades later, the 1993 Great Flood produced major levee breaches, and Governor Mike Kehoe’s 2024 emergency actions in Missouri echo those historic challenges, highlighting ongoing levee vulnerability.

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Kehoe Declares Emergency

Meteorologists called the 24-hour, 6-12-inch downpour in southeastern Missouri a once-in-a-thousand-years event, an extremely 0.1 % chance.
About 100 people were rescued from flash-flooded areas of Iron and Reynolds Counties in Missouri.
Governor Mike Kehoe declared a state of emergency for Missouri in response to the flooding.
Sheriff Chuck Helton said distress calls began at 3 a.m., prompting swift-water rescues throughout the night.

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