Emergencies and disasters

Floods

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Features

Flood 2011: The mess left by the Big Muddy

Cleaning up after a flood is a long, tiresome task. Be sure to do it right to avoid getting sick or having problems later. Get a copy of MP904, Resources for Your Flooded Home.

Flood recovery for croplands

Here's more flood information from Nebraska and Iowa. Contact your local agricultural business or agronomy specialist to find how this applies to Missouri fields.

Returning home

Cleaning your home after a flood takes special care. EMW1023, Quick Tips for Cleaning Up After a Flood is a new MU Extension publication that provides basic cleaning and safety advice.

Disaster recovery resources

NW Missouri Flood Disaster Response and Recovery Resources (PDF) for Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan and Holt counties.

Recursos para respuesta a emergencias de desastres naturales (PDF) para los condados de Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan and Holt.

Prepare your home

You can take steps before the river rises to minimize water damage to your home. This North Dakota Extension publication outlines the steps. Preparing a Home that Will Be Flooded

Take precautions with propane tanks

Properly secure and mark propane tanks located in flood prone areas to avoid safety problems. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has recommendations. Reducing the Impact of Flooding: Propane Tanks (PDF)

Flood Fighting with sandbags

Eric Evans, community emergency management specialist, describes the safest, most effective way to fill and place sandbags for their maximum effectiveness and protection.

Check, disinfect flooded wells

If your well has been flooded, the well and entire water system should be cleaned and disinfected. Floods can contaminate wells with silt, raw sewage, oil and disease organisms. Here are the procedures for proper disinfecting.

How to replace vital documents

After a disaster, you may have to replace social security cards, adoption records, birth certificates and other documents.

Find Missouri Flood Info on Facebook

About the Community Emergency Management Program

CEMP provides education and technical assistance to individual and families, local governments, businesses, schools and organizations in preparing and responding to natural and man-made disasters.

News

Preparing for disaster: Start today
Monday, April 9, 2012
PALYMRA, Mo. –If you have been meaning to put together disaster supplies and a household disaster plan but haven’t gotten around to it, there’s no reason to put off getting started any longer. You might be surprised by how much progress you can make in just a couple hours.
Media available: 1 photo
Northwest farmers prepare for planting a year after flood
Friday, April 6, 2012
HOLT COUNTY, Mo. – Temporary levees serve as signposts on the road to recovery from floods in northwestern Missouri that brought thousands of acres of farming to a screeching halt in 2011.
Media available: 3 photos; 1 videos
Firefighters learn the ropes through Swiftwater Rescue training
Friday, October 14, 2011
EUREKA, Mo. – Ryan Rascher came through the rapids on Thunder River just in time for a fellow firefighter to jump toward him and bring him to shore.
Media available: 5 photos; 1 videos
Storm recovery resources
Friday, August 19, 2011
Frank Wideman, MU Extension natural resources engineering specialist, can answer reporters’ questions on disaster readiness, response and recovery at the household, community and state level: 573-547-4504 or widemanf@missouri.edu.
Risk of West Nile virus remains low despite mosquito boom in flood areas
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mosquito populations along the Missouri River have skyrocketed due to recent flooding.
Media available: 1 video
Snakes on a flood plain
Friday, July 22, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Floods and severe storms can leave more than just people homeless. Displaced snakes, rodents and other nuisance wildlife often will seek shelter and food in areas close to people, said Bob Pierce, MU Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist.
Quick tips for cleaning your flooded home available from MU Extension
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Families returning to flooded homes need to be extra careful before and during the cleanup process. University of Missouri Extension specialists warn that floodwater may contain sewage, biological contaminants and other hazards that can linger after the initial cleanup.
Protect yourself from contractor fraud
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – When storms, floods and other disasters leave damaged homes in their path, local contractors often get more business than they can handle. In many cases, out-of-town contractors will arrive in force to pick up the slack.
Reducing flood damage to home and property
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
TRENTON, Mo.– University of Missouri Extension has prepared a checklist of measures people can take to reduce the impact of floodwater on their homes.
Before the flood: Prepare household items for long-term storage
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
TRENTON, Mo.—As people brace for floodwaters and the damage they might cause, it’s important to know how to properly prepare household items for long-term storage, said a University of Missouri Extension housing and environmental design specialist.
Let flood-damaged homes dry thoroughly before installing new coverings
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
PERRYVILLE, Mo. – Before replacing drywall and floor coverings in your flooded home, make sure building materials have had enough time to dry out, cautions a University of Missouri Extension community emergency management specialist.
Warm, wet weather can trigger mold growth
Monday, June 6, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Moisture and rising temperatures can turn parts of your home into ideal sites for mold growth, said a University of Missouri Extension housing and environmental design specialist.
Media available: 1 photo
Take care using chain saws during storm recovery work
Friday, May 27, 2011
MARSHFIELD, Mo. — Homeowners and disaster-recovery volunteers who use chain saws should use extreme caution to prevent injuries.
Avoiding injury during post-disaster cleanup
Friday, May 27, 2011
SEDALIA, Mo.– Megan Webb, nutrition and health education specialist for University of Missouri Extension, advises homeowners and disaster-recovery volunteers to be safe during the cleanup process in this video news story.
Media available: 1 video
Tips for safe food preparation after a disaster
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
LAMAR, Mo. – There are several tips to remember about safe food preparation in disaster situations.
Saving your food when the power goes off
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
LAMAR, Mo. – When the power goes off, there is a simple rule of thumb for saving refrigerated food: The colder the foods, the longer they will keep, said a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist.
Three easy steps for getting safe drinking water
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
MARHSFIELD, Mo. – In the aftermath of a disaster, the safety of your water supply might be in doubt. Bob Schultheis, a natural resource engineering specialist with University of Missouri Extension, says drinking water can be disinfected by ONE of the following methods:
Follow state law when disposing of dead animals
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
MT. VERNON, Mo. –Rural landowners in southwest Missouri have begun cleanup after the severe tornadoes and thunderstorms on May 22. Many agricultural producers are left to also deal with the remains of livestock that were killed during the series of storms that passed through the area.
Disaster-readiness resources from MU Extension
Monday, May 23, 2011
University of Missouri Extension has resources to help you and your family prepare for and recover from disasters.
Property loss from disasters may be tax deductible
Monday, May 23, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Disaster victims may recoup some of their uninsured losses because uncompensated property losses from natural disasters are tax deductible, said a University of Missouri Extension consumer and family economics specialist.
Media available: 1 video
Food safety after a flood
Friday, April 29, 2011
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo.—Food contamination is often a problem after a flood because floodwaters can carry silt, raw sewage, oil or chemical wastes, says a University of Missouri Extension specialist.
Be prepared for spring floods
Monday, April 25, 2011
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–With the large snowfalls of the past winter, flooding is a potential threat in many parts of Missouri. And even if your house is not in a flood plain, you may drive through one on your way home, warns a University of Missouri Extension community development specialist.