The flooding situation in East Cape Girardeau is worsening.
Due to water over the roadways, officials of the Village of East Cape Girardeau have issued a VOLUNTARY evacuation order. This is not MANDATORY.
Residents are encouraged to evacuate if they feel it is unsafe to stay. This is NOT an enforced evacuation and is due to water over the roadways due to seepage and rainfall. It has nothing to do with the integrity of the levees, which officials say are fine.
For those evacuating, the American Red Cross has a shelter open at Zion United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau.
The Village of McClure sent out a call Thursday for volunteers to help with sandbagging efforts in residential areas.
To check on the need for volunteers, call the Emergency Operations Center at 618-306-1375.
Additional National Guard troops have been activated to help fight the flooding in deep southern Illinois.
The state is sending an additional 80 troops to East Cape Girardeau to the join on-going effort. That means around 140 guardsmen are now dedicated to sandbag, monitor levees and for security in the East Cape, McClure and Gale communities.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Department of Transportation have moved over 150,000 sandbags, more than two dozen pumps and other tools to keep evacuation routes open.
Portions of Route 3 and Highway 146 in Alexander County are already closed and officials say additional rain could lead to more closures.
