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Saturday flood watch

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* 7:39 pm - Obama’s whirlwind tour of Quincy…

Obama, who began his day campaigning in Pennsylvania, flew into Quincy Regional Airport a little after 2 p.m. and took a motorcade to the Oakley-Lindsay Center. He was briefed by local and county officials before walking out the southeast door at about 2:40.

Flanked by state Sen. John Sullivan and Quincy Mayor John Spring, Obama strode to the parking lot to greet those working outside. Dressed in blue jeans and a blue shirt, he put on a pair of gloves and began filling sandbags.

Obama filled more than 20 bags with the help of Spring and Sullivan, and then Muldoon, as he talked with workers and members of the local and national media that surrounded him. […]

Obama then headed inside the Oakley-Lindsay Center, where about 500 people were patiently waiting in front of huge piles of sand. A huge roar erupted when he walked through the large garage door and began shaking hands.

The chant “Yes we can” erupted minutes after he walked into the building.[…]

At about 3:15, he posed for several photos and finally was whisked away by motorcade to the airport.

Looks like he boosted some morale.

* 1:12 pm - Obama gets into the act…

Senator Barack Obama plans on touring the Illinois community of Quincy to see flooded areas along the Mississippi River for himself.

The Democratic presidential candidate is scheduled to visit the area Saturday afternoon to tour the region and help fill sandbags.

* 12:05 pm - Levee breaks in and near the Mississippi River town of Keithsburg, IL…

Illinois emergency authorities said a levee along the Mississippi River in far western Illinois burst Saturday and voluntary evacuations were under way in the small community of Keithsburg.

Officials with the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department said the Pope Creek Levee burst around 8:45 a.m.

Keithsburg, a community of 700 residents, sits along the Mississippi River about 35 miles southwest of Moline. It is located across the river from Iowa, where massive floods have swamped towns and were being blamed for at least two deaths.

“The levee broke in two places,” said Alderman George Askew, 76, who has been in Keithsburg since 1943. “We’re getting under water.”

* More here

* This info is from a Gov. Blagojevich press release…

The American Red Cross has established shelters for flood victims at the Keithsburg Christian Church, 2002 Main Street in Keithsburg, Eliza Community Center in Eliza, and the Mediapolis Elementary School, 725 Northfield, Mediapolis, Iowa.

On Friday, the Governor declared seven counties along the Mississippi River as state disaster areas, including Adams, Calhoun, Hancock, Henderson, Mercer, Pike and Rock Island counties allowing the state to expedite assistance to help with the flood fight in those areas along the Mississippi River. The state disaster declaration makes available a wide variety of state resources that can help affected communities respond and recover from flooding.

Gov. Blagojevich also activated 200 troops from the Illinois National Guard to help communities that are threatened by rising floodwaters.

The Governor also sent a letter Friday to President Bush requesting an expedited federal major disaster declaration. If granted, the declaration will make available potable water, generators, technical assistance for debris removal and other resources that may be determined necessary as flooding progresses.

* Things aren’t looking great in Quincy, either…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich visited Quincy Friday, praising those filling sandbags and pledging to help them flight the flood.
“You see the best of people” during a disaster, Blagojevich said during a visit to the Oakley-Lindsay Center, where about 600 volunteers had filled more than 60,000 sandbags between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Quincy Mayor John Spring told Blagojevich that river crest predictions have reached 32 feet by the end of next week, which would nearly match the record level of 1993.

As of 10 p.m. Friday, a new report had the river cresting at 32.2 foot –matching the record set in 1993.

* Lawrenceville update…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich toured portions of Lawrence County on Friday afternoon that were affected by recent flooding before announcing during a press conference, “I’m hopeful and optimistic that we’ll overcome this.”

* More flooding…

In Northern Illinois, the Rock River in Winnebago County had reached flood stage at 12.5 feet. It was expected to reach its crest of 15.2 feet on Monday and begin falling back.

“We are working for the worst, planning for the worst, but hoping for the best,” said Dennis Lolli, head of the county’s Emergency Services and Disaster Agency. “We are not anticipating any huge troubles.”

Officials were also preparing for the Fox River to rise further with heavy rain forecast for Thursday afternoon.

* And more…

With an estimated 100 homes already damaged by floodwaters along the Fox River and Chain O’ Lakes near Antioch—and more flooding forecast for early next week—officials on Friday issued a disaster declaration for northwest Lake County.

* Related…

* Parts of waterlogged Midwest getting a break - but Indiana, southern Illinois and Michigan are next in line for the rains (the bad news). Those areas, too, desperately want dry weather.

* NY Times: “Right now, we can’t see anything as devastating as 1993 along the Mississippi, but we’re gearing up,” said Ron Fournier, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers’ district in the central Midwest, which just ordered three million more sandbags, 25 large pumps and a vast array of extra supplies. “The hard part is as simple as not knowing how much rain we’ll get,” Mr. Fournier said. “Beyond what we saw 24 hours ago, and what we predict in the next 24 hours, we just don’t know what’s coming. We want the rain to stop.”

* Current Watches, Warnings and Advisories for Illinois
Issued by the National Weather Service

* Corps of Engineers Emergency Operations Center Mobilizes in Support of Midwest Flooding

* Preparing for the worst

* Governor visits Quincy before flood

* Illinois residents along Mississippi River prepare for flooding

* Waters will rise over the weekend

* Metro-east named flood-hazard area

* Rock Island County Declared Disaster Area

* Mississippi to reach highest level in six years

* Flood plays havoc with barges