Death toll from storms rises to 9
2 bodies found in car in Missouri flooding
OKLAHOMA CITY — The bodies of a man and a woman were discovered Friday in a submerged vehicle near the Mississippi River in Missouri, bringing the death toll to nine from storms that have ravaged the central U.S. this week and threaten major flooding through the holiday weekend.
John Reinhardt, 20, and Caitlin Frangel, 19, both of Hazelwood, Missouri, were reported missing May 15. Their bodies were found around 4 a.m. on a flooded rural road that runs along the river at Portage Des Sioux, about 40 miles north of St. Louis.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Dallas Thompson said an autopsy determined they both drowned. “We believe they went into it in the dark, not knowing the roadway was flooded, and they were unable to get out,” Thompson said.
Heavy rain in recent weeks has caused major flooding in several states. Flooding along the Arkansas River will threaten communities from Tulsa into western Arkansas through at least the holiday weekend, officials said Friday, as water released from an Oklahoma dam combines with additional rain in the forecast.
The Army Corps of Engineers on Friday began increasing the amount of water being released into the river from the Keystone Dam, northwest of the city of about 400,000 people.
The river in Tulsa was just above 22 feet Friday, 4 feet above flood stage, and was expected to remain at that level through Tuesday. Riverside residents were urged to leave their homes and at least one oil refinery suspended operations.
Arkansas officials braced for record flooding as the water moves downstream.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson declared a state of emergency Friday to lift hurdles in what state agencies can do to assist flooded areas along the Arkansas River. The proclamation came after he ordered the state’s National Guard to station highwater rescue teams in the western part of the state by today.