Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has declared a state of disaster emergency for Cowley and 11 other Kansas counties, following heavy rains and flooding over the last several days.
The declaration ensures that resources are available to counties severely affected by the weather, according to a written statement from the governor’s office. A state emergency operations center is activated in Topeka and will be operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice to coordinate state resources.
“Unfortunately, our state is once again being hit by severe storms, but our state emergency operations center is working around the clock to provide whatever resources are needed to help the impacted communities as quickly as possible,” Sebelius said.
The other counties included in the state declaration are Anderson, Butler, Bourbon, Coffey, Chautauqua, Linn, Montgomery, Neosho, Osage, Wilson and Woodson.
These counties will be added to an earlier state declaration for the storm period, beginning May 21 and continuing, to ensure all of the counties affected by storms since that time will be incorporated into a request for a federal declaration. The previous federal declaration approved for Kansas includes only May 4 to May 18.
The governor’s office also released an update on the flooding situation in various counties:
In Wilson County, the hardest hit county at this point, the city of Neodesha is reportedly surrounded by water with boat and air as the only access into the city. An evacuation center has been set up at the school. The water plant was shut down due to flooding, leading to a boil water order for the residents of Neodesha.
Partial power outages are reported in the Neodesha area where a substation is impacted by flooding. The sewer plant has also been affected by flood waters and is reportedly backing up. Both Fredonia and Altoona are also without water due to flooding of the water plants there.
The city of Fredonia has approximately 3,000 plus people without power and several others in rural areas have no power due to flooding of a substation. Only high water vehicles can enter the city. In Altoona, moderate flooding resulted in several people taking shelter in a middle school. In Coyville, there is a potential for flooding from Toronto Lake, and evacuations are underway.
In Neosho County, the levy north of Chanute on the Neosho River has broken and water is going over the top of the levy in the Erie area. Evacuations were underway in Chanute and Erie earlier today and American Red Cross shelters have been set up in both towns.
Evacuations have occurred in Dexter in Cowley County. A nursing home in Dexter has evacuated one wing by moving the residents to another part of the facility.
Woodson County is reporting significant rainfall with the Neosho River rising fast. Many of the roadways around the town of Neosho Falls are impassable.
In Chautauqua County, the Neosho River had reached 37.6 feet in Erie earlier today (flood stage is 29 feet). In Linn County, evacuations have occurred in Boicourt. A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad line has been closed in Augusta in Butler County due to the opening of the flood gate there.
Montgomery County officials are requesting 500 sandbags at this time to address flooding concerns. A shelter has been opened in Leroy in Coffey County.
Water Rescue Teams
Five water rescue teams have been deployed to southeast Kansas from northeast Kansas (four from Shawnee County and one from Johnson County). Two teams were sent to Fredonia, two to Neodesha and one to Garnett (Anderson County).
Water rescues occurred overnight in some of the affected areas and additional rescues may be necessary as conditions worsen. More teams will be sent to southeast Kansas as needed.
State Assistance to Counties
Kansas Department of Transportation has closed roadways in Bourbon, Coffey, Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Linn, Montgomery, Osage, and Wilson Counties. Closures of roadways may be monitored by going to www.kanroad.org.
