WMC-TV: News, Weather, Traffic, Radar, and Sports for Memphis, TN; WMCTV.com | Residents flee rising waters in Forrest City neighborhood
Member Center:
A motorist tries to drive through flooding water near Forrest City.By Anna Marie Hartman - bio | email | Twitter | Facebook
FORREST CITY, AR (WMC-TV) - Heavy rain and floodwaters created huge problems Friday for residents across the state of Arkansas.
In a neighborhood off County Road 226 near Forrest City, 14 residents trapped by flood waters had to be rescued from their homes.
"It's real deep," flood victim Jerry Brewer said of the rising floodwaters.
Meanwhile Resident Willie Walker used his SUV to rescue himself.
"It's still backing up over there where we're at," Walker said of the water.
He was able to take some picture of his flooding neighborhood before he left.
"I was getting some pictures to send to my daughter, because she said, 'Daddy, I just can't believe it. You need to get out of there,'" he said.
Residents complained the county needs to build a ditch on their side of County Road 226 so that the water doesn't rise as quickly as it currently does.
"Typically yes this is what we get, but it hasn't been like this for quite a few years," Walker said.
Officials said no drainage system could swallow the amount of water the neighborhood received in such a short time on Friday.
It could be Monday before residents who evacuated are allowed to return home.
Isolated cases of flooding were reported throughout the state Thursday and Friday. In Little Rock, in 50-year-old Kenny Raines was found Thursday night in a vehicle in a low-lying area of the city.
Raines died as a two-day stretch of storms coursed over Arkansas. Numerous areas reported roads closed due to flooding. Storms damaged buildings in south Arkansas, and knocked over trees and utility lines.
Copyright 2009 WMC-TV. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Comments Terms of Use: We welcome your participation in our community. Please keep your comments civil and on point. Notify us of any inappropriate comments by clicking the “Mark as Offensive” link. You must be at least 13 years of age to post comments. By submitting a comment, you agree to these
Terms of Service
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Login or register See all comments |
Take turns weighing in on the issues of the day with WMC-TV General Manager Lee Meredith.
Find find out which restaurants scored low and which made the High 5 during recent inspections.
A collection of some of the most jaw dropping police dashcam video you've ever seen.
