ELSBERRY – For the second time in a week, a significant rainfall Saturday and Sunday caused widespread flash flooding in Elsberry, prompting a visit from the governor.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe came to town Tuesday afternoon to survey the damage first-hand. He also met with residents, city and county officials and first responders at the United Methodist Church, which is serving as a quasi-disaster aid headquarters.

With about 10 inches of rain falling over the weekend, the first water rescue came into the Elsberry Fire Protection District Saturday at 11:34 p.m. That call was the first of many in the next 24 hours for all first responders as a state of emergency was declared for the town.

With dozens of calls for water rescues, vehicles or homes, the EFPD needed assistance from other agencies, including, Winfield Foley Fire Protection District, Lincoln County Fire, Eolia Fire Department, O’Fallon Fire, Lincoln County Ambulance District, and the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency.

“Everyone has been accounted for,” Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Quentin Laws said Sunday. “We had no fatalities, no injuries and no missing persons. We rescued about 40 people from water in their houses and cars. Right now the city is setting up an operation center in their city hall and they are going to be handing out water and cleaning supplies as soon as the residents can get back into their houses.”

As the water receded, clean up started in the flood-ravaged Elsberry.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) employees have been on the scene of a tracks wash-out north of Elsberry. BNSF requested the assistance of two contractors, RJ Corman Railroad Services and Midwest Railroad Services out of New London, to assist with the rebuilding of the railroad bed.

Approximately 800 feet of tracks were washed out.

Three agencies’ employees, Missouri Department of Transportation, Lincoln County Road District and Elsberry Special Road District were out all-day Sunday clearing obstructions, putting barricades where needed and rebuilding roadways so they are passable for residents.

More work will be completed in the days to come.

In the strip mall located in the 400 block of North Highway 79 (North Main St) and owned by Jim Heitman, four businesses- Rachel’s Restaurant, AJ’s Tex Mex, Kat’s Cantina, and Dos Primos Mexican Restaurant, suffered damage.

According to Rachel Chambers, owner of Rachel’s restaurant, water was inside the business approximately a foot.

“Equipment seems to be in working order at this point, just need to start cleaning the floor to begin with,” she said. Relatives and friends came out to help her remove items so cleaning can begin.

More aftermath to the torrential rainfall is the rising of the mighty Mississippi, forcing people from their homes outside of Elsberry. Currently, people are moving out anything in the way of the rising waters, with the water covering Highway P limiting access to many of the locations.

Debbie Wentz of Elsberry is counting her blessings after last night’s flooding that impacted Highway 79 and the city limits of Elsberry.

“I think we are pretty lucky,” she said referring to Missouri Marine and Auto Sales, that she and her husband Ray own. “We got all our cars up to higher ground so none of them are flooded. We have to assess if any equipment got damaged, but definitely we are not destroyed.”

Due to possible exposure issues with the floodwaters, the Lincoln County Health Department came to town Monday offering free tetanus shots and hepatitis vaccines.

Numerous other local businesses and several from out of the area have also donated items such as water, food, clothing and cleaning supplies. Those items are available for those affected at the Methodist Church.