A widespread of flooding across the FOX 23 area

MALDEN, Mo. (KBSI) – A widespread flooding across the FOX 23 area.

Many people in the area says the rain is making the roadways scary to drive on. Motorists encouraging other driver to use caution.

Rising water is taking over the fields in Southeast Missouri, covering the highways and backroads too. 

In Malden water is rising in the Walmart parking lot. 

Mayor Denton Kooyman says he wants to make sure everyone is safe. He is reaching out to the school Superintendent to make sure bus drivers have a plan. 

“I know our main drag gets flooded, the sides get up, so it gets pretty bad. Several neighborhoods get bad. The school superintendent did call in to our police chief to try to check on the weather and roads. Worried about school buses going in and out in certain areas,” said Kooyman.

Mayor Kooyman also stayed in close contact with the Police Chief who is also the Director of Public Safety. The Chief says keeping an eye on weather is his least favorite part of his job as it’s always unpredictable. 

“Tornadoes, heavy weather and stuff. Because you can’t predict storms. So he monitors the streets. He gives us updates all the time. At certain points, certain points were higher than others, and they’ve gone back down now. But he’s worried because it is going to rain all night,” said Kooyman.

Emergency crews say they can’t stress it enough, never try to drive through high water, turn around and don’t drown.

“We didn’t have any reports of accidents yet. We did have one car over on Howard. I believe it flooded going into an area they thought wasn’t as deep and it was pretty deep. So. And when that one section road, it does puddle up a lot. People get stuck there all the time. 

Emergency responders say they dealt with several accidents tonight advising others if you do not have to drive to please stay home.