Storms Flood Farmland in Midwest Areas

Heavy storms early Thursday drenched the Midwest, where authorities said flooding has ruined much of the newly planted corn crop or delayed planting of unseeded acreage.

In southern Illinois, White County emergency services officials said they were seeking a disaster declaration from Gov. James R. Thompson.

About 80,000 acres of farmland was flooded in the county, preventing spring planting. Only 5% of the county’s corn crop has been planted, contrasted with the yearly average of 85% at this point in the spring.

The Little Wasbash River was at 36.4 feet and thought to be near its crest. The flooding was reported to be the third worst this century. About 40 homes have been evacuated, officials said.

Floodwaters receded along the east fork of the White River in southern Indiana. Rivers in the area were 6 to 7 feet above flood stage and some local road flooding was reported.

Despite the receding water, nearly 16% of the state’s corn crop could be in danger, officials said. Last week’s heavy rains left more than 2.5 million acres of farmland in 50 central and southern Indiana counties so saturated that most of the corn planted before the flooding will have to be re-seeded. But first the fields must dry.

More than 2 inches of rain fell Wednesday in western Iowa, with Sioux City getting hit the hardest, weather officials said.

In southeast Texas, the rain-swollen Trinity River also was beginning to ebb, prompting officials to consider the worst of the flooding over as the river rushed toward the Gulf of Mexico.

Elsewhere, a tornado roared through central Kansas Thursday night, derailing a freight train, destroying farm buildings and seriously injuring two people, authorities said.

Other twisters were sighted in central Kansas and southeastern Wyoming, the National Weather Service said. But there were no reports of damage or injuries.