JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — Our 5 On Your Side crew documented flash flooding in Jefferson County Thursday morning as storms rolled through the bi-state.
Emergency response crews were called for multiple water rescues in areas near Highway 141.
Our reporter spoke with Philip Tracy, the owner of Covered Bridge RV Park.
Tracy tells our crew, that an elderly couple had to be water-rescued from their RV in the back of the park.
Firefighters arrived to pull them out to safety.
Debris littered the park and water levels swelled to just beneath the underside of the small bridges on the property.
The RV park owner says he typically deals with flooding. But, Thursday morning’s flash floods were unlike anything he's ever seen.
We're told one RV was pushed off its pad by the flood water. A few other RVs had flood water enter the units.
Philip Tracy says water filled his RV park faster than he's ever seen. He adds, that in just 45 minutes, most of the park was underwater.
The owner says the RV park was hit by floods recently, like so many other areas with the recent record rainfall in and around St. Louis.
Tracy says, there is a nearby creek that always creates problems when it floods. He was out around 5 a.m. with his excavator trying to clear debris and open pathways for the water to flow out of the park.
He tells our reporter, “It's going to be a long couple of days trying to get all the debris that's been pushed around the park and trying to get back to normal."
We spoke with one man who says he evacuated his family.
Jawed Ebrahimi is a resident at Covered Bridge RV Park. He tells our photographer, "It was really heavy rain. As soon as she [Ebrahimi’s wife] looked outside she started crying and said ‘Oh my God. This is really bad.' As soon as she cried, we got out of the camper and I put everybody in my van.” This area was flooded really badly… the water was all the way to under my camper. All of my shoes, my kid's shoes were there. The water took them.”
Other spots in Jefferson county dealt with flash flooding Thursday morning.
Antonia Fire District brought the boats out, responding to a water rescue off of HWY 141 and Romaine Creek.
The water rose very quickly there, almost covering traffic signs around 4 a.m.
Find more information about Thursday's rain, flooding, and damage on the 5 On Your Side website.