Farmers Flee as Mississippi Breaches Levee

People fled farm homes Monday as the relentless force of the Mississippi River punched a hole through another levee, this one about four miles inland of the river’s usual bank.

More rain upstream threatened to prolong the inundation. Additional storms were forecast at least through the end of the week.

A part of the levee at Peruque was breached about 4:30 a.m., and 11 rural homes had to be evacuated. At midday, the river poured over the structure’s remains.

Also on Monday, authorities recovered the body of a 5-year-old boy who drowned near Wanamingo, Minn., in the swollen Zumbro River, which flows into the Mississippi. Andrew Sather was the third child to drown in Minnesota rivers since the flooding began.

A little downriver, where the also-swollen Missouri River flows into the Mississippi, volunteers slapped sandbags atop levees protecting West Alton, which lies between the two rivers.

South of St. Louis, an apartment complex was evacuated in Barnhart. In Crystal City, water lapped at the back of the post office, said Sgt. Chris Pigg of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

The Mississippi has broken levees in Winfield, Mo., and near Gulf Port, Ill. Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar ordered out 150 National Guard members to bolster flood-fighting efforts.

As much as six inches of rain fell Monday, bringing out flash-flood alerts for small streams in western Iowa and northwestern Illinois. Up to four inches fell in northeast Iowa, where Jones County authorities evacuated homes in Langworthy early Monday.