WINFIELD, MO – An entire community in Winfield is flooded after a levee breaches forcing people to leave their homes before many took on water.
The area that`s impacted is known as East Winfield.
The flooding there is dramatic…many homes are flooded after the Pin Oaks Levee breached yesterday.
People in that community could be out of their homes for weeks.
The Altman family was among those leaving their home in East Winfield for higher ground.
Their only way out…by boat.
The Altman`s mobile home is elevated so water is not inside of it but their home is now surrounded by water.
“It`s rough when you have to, you know, we have to leave today. We`re not going to come back. We may come back and check it tonight but you leave your home all alone,” said Nettie Altman.
Nettie was on the boat with her husband, their two sons, their two dogs and the girlfriend of one of the sons.
Nettie says her family made the decision to leave after more rain was in the forecast and they already had to use a boat to get out of their community.
Keith Abernathy, on the other hand, isn`t going anywhere.
His mobile home is elevated as well and is dry for now.
But like the Altman`s his home is surrounded by water.
Keith has lived in East Winfield for much of his life.
He was there in 93 and stayed then…he plans to stay now.
Nonetheless, it is tough to see his neighborhood flooded.
“’It is very upsetting anytime we get a flood whether it be Winfield, Foley, Old Monroe or it be in Kansas City, Kansas,” explained Keith.
The East Winfield area flooded after the Pin Oaks Levee was breached by Mississippi River floodwater Sunday afternoon.
Authorities urged people to leave starting early Sunday morning when the levee began to be overtopped.
Authorities tell us about 100 homes are impacted totaling about 150 to 200 residents.
Fire crews have made a couple of water rescues where people weren`t able to get out before the water got high.
Fortunately, nobody has been hurt.
“We want to make sure that we`re caring for the people who are out of their homes. We`ve already sort of started to get the long-term recovery process going,” said Jim Sharp, the Director
of the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency.
The Mississippi crested in the Winfield area on Monday afternoon at just under 38.5 feet.
That is the second highest ever…a little more than a foot below the record level of 1993.
