First reported by KHQA in Quincy, Governor JB Prtizker has announced a 34-County Disaster Proclamation for flooding.
The proclamation will ensure state support and services for counties directly impacted by the historic flooding taking place in the Mississippi and Illinois River basin this week.
The proclamation covers the following counties in the WLDS/WEAI listening area: Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Morgan, Pike, Schuyler, and Scott.
The governor and lawmakers received a briefing by Illinois Emergency Management Services early Friday regarding the impact of flooding in the area.
The Illinois Department of Corrections has been activated for around-the-clock work crews to support the already ongoing sandbagging efforts; the Illinois Department of Transportation is in charge of delivery of sandbags, hoses, and pumps to the areas requesting them; the Department of Public Health is preparing clean drinking water kits in areas where water infrastructure has been shut down. The American Red Cross has also been alerted, as they’ve begun setting up temporary shelters in the heavily effected area.
Residents needing more information about safety during flood events can go to the Ready Illinois website or contact their local ESDA coordinator for assistance. In the event of an emergency, residents are encouraged to dial 9-1-1 or their local emergency dispatch center.