Lincoln County Declares Emergency Due to Flash Flooding

ELSBERRY, Mo. — Lincoln County has declared a State of Emergency following severe flash flooding in the city of Elsberry that prompted evacuations on Sunday.

Officials from Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) reported that 42 people were rescued and another 18 were evacuated from their homes between 2nd and 7th Streets due to rising waters.

Daniel Thornhill, a resident renting a home on South Third Street, witnessed the flooding firsthand. “I saw some standing water come into the house so I acted and tried to get as many things that were valuable off the floor that I could,” he said. He added that his two young children were not at home when water rushed into the property.

By Sunday afternoon, rental company workers had removed damaged flooring from Thornhill’s house and brought in industrial fans to dry the structure and prevent mold.

Long-time Elsberry resident Jerry Cook described the floodwaters. “Everything on this side of Broadway was under water… there were trashcans floating down the road,” he said. Cook noted it was the worst flooding he had ever seen in over three decades.

Another resident, Andrew Delles, shared his disbelief. “I’ve never seen it this bad… during the storms, a tree fell on my home. We have probably a half inch of water, and there’s a hole in the roof,” he said.

Lincoln County EMA Director Quentin Walls indicated the rapid onset of flooding took many by surprise. “It’s more rare that it comes up this quickly… this flash flooding was kind of a shock,” he said.

As the waters recede, many residents face the reality of significant property damage. Cook expressed concern for those affected. “So many of these people don’t have a place to live now… a lot of people out here don’t have money and if you don’t have flood insurance, it’s hard,” he said.

In response to the disaster, the Elsberry United Methodist Church is providing hot meals, supplies, and refuge for residents. Pastor Laura Taylor explained their efforts, stating, “We have just been trying to take care of people’s basic needs.” The church has served as a donation hub during this challenging time.

<p“The Red Cross delivered cots and more supplies to the church,” she added. The church plans to remain open to assist locals at least through Monday.

Thornhill remains hopeful about community resilience. “I just hope the community pulls together even for the people who were worse off than I was,” he said.

As of Sunday evening, Walls stated that Lincoln County EMA had not yet requested specific aid from Governor Mike Kehoe’s office.