Missouri Flooding Prompts Airlift of 202 Campers, One Death Reported

Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopters airlifted 202 campers and staff members from Camp Taum Sauk in Lesterville on Friday after flash flooding cut off all roads into the area. The evacuees, aged 8 to 16 and adult counselors, were flown to St. Louis and reunited with their families.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe mobilized eight Black Hawk helicopters for the operation at the camp, which has operated since 1946 about 125 miles south of St. Louis. Camp Taum Sauk officials posted on Instagram that they were "beyond thankful" for the help from the National Guard, Reynolds County 911 responders and the local Arcadia community.

At least 351 swift-water rescues occurred across the affected region. Emergency crews pulled about 20 people from a collapsed building at another Missouri campground. Two rescue boats capsized in Reynolds County, and three people were rescued from trees along the Black River.

One person was found dead in Missouri on Saturday following the Friday storms. Sgt. " Gov. Mike Kehoe issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency. " Operators at the Bearcat Getaway campground closed facilities for the weekend and confirmed all campers and staff were safe.

The National Weather Service warned that an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain could fall through the weekend on already saturated soils.