Workers battle floodwaters at Miami

Editors note: To see more photos involving the floodwaters and the volunteers in Miami, visit http://www.marshallnews.com/gallery/2007....

The Miami river bottoms has seen a lot of action all week as volunteers fill sandbags, relocate sandbags and build relief walls in low spots on levees.

Seth Langin said they have had about 40 to 50 volunteers sandbagging at two sites this week and about four to five on each site hauling sandbags and building walls.

"We do have a little help and that is always nice," said John Roe, landowner.

Workers have placed sandbags in eight areas of the upper levees and seven areas on the lower levees, Langin said. Workers have been working from daybreak to dark, he continued.

On Wednesday night, May 9, workers stayed till 10:30 p.m., he said.

Roe said there are various helpers, landowners and friends who have offered their time to help the process.

At station one, about 15 volunteers reminisced about the "Great Flood of 1993." Most concluded that 1993 was worse but this flood has not been fun either. Even under the current conditions, many workers still enjoyed telling jokes and stories.

"We have been having a lot more help in the evening," Langin said, because people are getting off work and coming to help out.

Rob Latimer said local women have been bringing good meals out at night for everyone who has pitched in helping out.

Miami has been fortunate and no levees have broken. Most of the sandbagging being done is preventative maintenance to keep water from coming over low swags in levees, workers said.

"The flood gate didn't hold," Langin said. "As high as the water is, if the flood gate would have held, water still would have gotten out."

The Missouri River at Miami was suppose to crest on Thursday, May 10, according to the National Weather Service reports.

Langin said, however, "from phone calls we have received, it is going to double crest."

Reports posted on the National Weather Service Web site predicts the river will slowly recede.

In other flood news, Saline County is among 17 included in Gov. Matt Blunt is requesting joint federal and state damage assessment teams study.

Blunt announced Thursday he is calling for the assessments after participating in a joint briefing with county and public safety officials from around the state.

"I have requested damage assessment teams to begin meeting with county and local officials to collect information regarding the uninsured damages Missourians and economic losses businesses have sustained," said Blunt.

Other counties named include Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Daviess, DeKalb, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Lafayette, Moniteau, Nodaway, Platte and Ray.

Contact Rachel Harper at

marshallcity@socket.net