Flash Flooding Strikes Kahoka, Clark County
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By Mike Scott
A powerful thunderstorm system brought flash flooding to Kahoka and Clark County late Friday night and early Saturday morning, August 4-5.
It was the same storm that struck Baring, Missouri, in Knox County, with a EF-2 tornado late Friday evening. In Baring, several buildings, including the Baring Senior Housing, Baring Post Office, Baring Fire Station and the Baring Cafe, as well as several residential building were heavily damaged. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported.
The National Weather Service reported that a slow-moving mesoscale convective vortex tracked over northeast Missouri and brought heavy rain in a short amount of time. The NWS reported rainfall amounts of 4-8 inches in Clark County.
In Clark County, rainfall amounts vary, but there are several reports of more than a foot of rain.
(Editor’s note) my eight-inch rain gauge was overflowing in Kahoka)
Near Wayland, the Fox River jumped 16 feet in 12 hours, cresting above the Minor Flood Stage Level on Saturday afternoon, before falling quickly.
Clark County Emergency Coordinator Tanner Harrison told The Media that flood waters were several feet deep on Johnson Street near Ayerco at the peak of the flooding, stalling multiple vehicles.
On Saturday morning, the clean up work began.
One of the hard-hit businesses was Sissy and Me Daycare/Preschool in Kahoka.
“We have to replace everything,” owner Latisha Bourgeois said. “We’ll be closed for the foreseeable future.”
“Carpet will need to be removed, and drywall replaced. Pretty much all of my wood furniture will have to be replaced because it soaked up the water.”
She wasn’t sure if insurance would cover the damages.
Bourgeios said volunteers, mainly from the families of the children they serve, showed up to help remove everything from the building, and move what they can salvage into dry storage.
“I can’t say enough about the wonderful people in Kahoka,” she said. “We are so blessed to live in a community that cares so much.”
Ironically, lumber for new fencing, to replace their fence destroyed in the June 29 storm, had just been delivered on Friday, said Bourgeois.
Multiple people reported having water in their basements or rising into their houses in Kahoka.
In the county, several rural road were flooded, and a culvert washed out on Route Y just west of Highway 81 south of Kahoka. Route Y will remain closed until repairs are made.
In Kahoka, street crews repaired wash-out damage to at least two intersections, and checked several other streets for damage.
Some rural customers were left without electricity as power lines were downed by the storm. Service was restored on Saturday.
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