Live updates: Flood warnings extended to early Friday in southwest Illinois

Belleville News-Democrat

Updated July 28, 2022 9:08 PM

A new wave of storms rolled into the metro-east on Thursday in the wake of the heavy rains on Tuesday when homes were flooded and roads were closed across southwest Illinois and the St. Louis region.

Here’s a roundup of flood and storm news for Thursday afternoon and evening:

8:45 p.m. Flood warnings extended

Flood warnings for parts of southwestern Illinois were extended to 1:30 a.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service in St. Louis.

Those counties include St. Clair, Madison, Clinton and Washington.

“Local law enforcement reported roads under water in the warned area due to heavy rain, including Highway 4 south of I-64, Highway 161 near Scott Air Force Base, Old Staunton Road east of Edwardsville, and Highway 37 south of Salem,” the agency stated in a 7:28 p.m. report. “Multiple rural roads remain under water.”

Here are the towns that the agency said could experience flooding: Belleville, O`Fallon, East St. Louis, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Swansea, Centralia, Glen Carbon, Shiloh, Highland, Troy, Maryville, Salem, Mascoutah, Pontoon Beach, Centreville, Breese, Lebanon and Freeburg.

6 p.m. Flood warnings

The National Weather Service in St. Louis said a flood warning is in effect for Madison and St. Clair counties, as well as the St. Louis area, until 11:45 p.m. Thursday “Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring,” the agency said on its website.

Two to four inches of rain fell Thursday afternoon across the region.

5:15 p.m. Interstate reopens

Interstate 55/70 in East St. Louis is reopening.

“The pumps have caught up and we are cleaning off the mud, rock and debris from the latest storm,” according to a 4:51 p.m. statement from Illinois Department of Transportation. “We will be reopening ALL Lanes in 15 minutes. Please use caution in the E St. Louis area as traffic patterns return to normal.”

4:11 p.m. Water rescue

The East St. Louis Fire Department responded to the 4900 block of State Street for a water rescue, the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency reported.

4:10 p.m. Flash flood warning

Portions of Madison and St. Clair counties are again under a flash flood warning until 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

The cities most in the crosshairs are Mascoutah, Cahokia Heights, Fairmont City, East St. Louis, Granite City and Madison, according to the National Weather Service.

4:06 p.m. More road closures

Main Street was closed at West Highway 50 in O’Fallon due to flooding, according to the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency. The agency also said Illinois 163 at Clover Leaf in Stookey Township was impassable and the underpass at River Park Drive in East St. Louis was closed.

Scott Air Force Base announced the Cardinal Creek Gate would be closed until further notice.

3:57 p.m. Illinois 15 floods

Illinois 15 at Belleville West Parkway in Belleville is flooded both east and westbound lanes, according to a report by the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency.

The agency asks motorists to avoid the area.

3:40 p.m. Interstate closed

Interstate 55/70 northbound is closed in East St. Louis due to flooding, the Illinois Department of Transportation reported.

All traffic is being diverted to Interstate 64 eastbound.

IDOT asks motorists to use Interstate 255 northbound to reconnect with I-55/70.

“Please avoid the area until our pumps can catch up with the heavy rain,” the agency said on Twitter.

I-55/70 NB is CLOSED in East St. Louis due to flooding. All traffic is being diverted to I-64 EB. Use I-255 NB to reconnect with I-55/70. Please avoid the area until our pumps can catch up with the heavy rain. #ILTraffic
— IDOT District 8 (@IDOTDistrict8) July 28, 2022

3:30 p.m. MetroLink damages announced

It could cost $18 million to $20 million to fix and replace MetroLink equipment damaged during Tuesday’s flood, according to preliminary estimates released on Thursday.

“MetroLink equipment between the Forest Park-DeBaliviere and Delmar Loop Stations sustained the most significant flood damage with one MetroLink train valued at $10 million expected to be a total loss, as well as station elevators, MetroLink communications and fiber optics, the MetroLink signal system, and damage to the light rail track beds,” the agency said in the news release.

Here is where MetroLink service stands as of Thursday afternoon:

MetroLink trains are only operating between the Central West End and Shiloh-Scott Stations, and between the Shrewsbury-Lansdowne I-44 and Skinker Stations. These trains are operating every 20 minutes.
Bus shuttles are transporting MetroLink passengers to and from all the stations between the Lambert Airport and Central West End Stations, and between the Skinker and Central West End Stations. Riders traveling in the bus shuttle area should allow for delays up to 60 minutes.

This story was originally published July 28, 2022 at 3:59 PM.