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Rockwood School District taking measures to prevent future flash flood damage

The district said it has recently found a way to prevent flash floods from ruining ball fields.

The Rockwood School District is making improvements to Eureka High School to prevent flooding from causing severe damage to the campus. City officials also remind folks to avoid driving through high water.

In August along Highway 109, drivers watched as a car was swept away by flash flooding right in front of a Rockwood School District school.

“The car was going to float off,” said LaSalle Springs Middle School Assistant Principal Adam Gabris. “Thank god the guy was able to get her out.”

In a flash flood scenario, it only takes several minutes for water to rise several feet.

ST. LOUIS - Flash flooding left drivers stranded and closed roads and highways across the St. Louis area Monday morning. A flash flood warning was in effect during the morning commute for most of St. Louis County, the city and areas west. The warning was allowed to expire at 10:15 a.m.

RELATED: 'It’ll be a good test of the system' | Eureka prepares for potential flash flooding

“The car started to float down (the street) slowly,” Gabris said. “It wasn’t a raging torrent of water but enough to scare (the driver). I don’t blame her.”

Gabris watched it all happen and started filming the car floating down the street as soon as the driver was safe.

He said the woman had no place to go. She was trying to turn onto a safe parking lot at the school but she didn’t know the driveway had a dip.

For every exception, there’s a lot of examples of what not to do. Over half of flood-related deaths occur when vehicles are driven into dangerous situations, according to the CDC.

At Eureka High, they are used to athletic fields flooding. Recently the district has found a way to prevent flash floods from ruining ball fields. They are still working on ways to prevent water from upstream flooding the campus.

If you are driving in an area that is known to flood quickly: Turn around, don’t drown.

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