After the morning line hammered Caterville and surrounding areas, another line of storms formed to the north, leaving a very narrow, but powerful aftermath in the wake of almost 5-inches of rain in less than two hours. The town of Tamaroa, north of Du Quoin in Perry County, took the brunt of this storm. Residents and emergency officials said this is the worst they had ever seen, dating as far back as 30 years. The water covered US-51 in several areas between Du Bois and Du Quoin, but just south of Tamaroa was where the worst came. Tamaroa is situated on US-51 about an hour southeast of St. Louis in Perry County, Illinois. Du Quoin is approximately 5 miles south on US-51.
After the rains lightened up, water continued to rise, leading several cars to get stalled as they drove through water that earlier cars were able to make it through. Nearby residents came to their aid, helping to push cars from the rising water.
Perry County Sheriffs arrived on-scene and closed down US-51 to all traffic, diverting them around on not as badly flooded back roads. The road was closed til at least 6pm, but the water was receding.
In total, two cars were stalled and had to be towed away from the area. No injuries were reported.
In town, the Caseys took on significant flooding, which also spilled out onto US-51 causing traffic delays less than a mile north of the closure. Water as high as a foot inundated the parking lot, and had people wading through ankle-to-knee deep water to get to the pumps and store entrance. Other than a little inconvenience, most customers navigated the waters fine, at least until they tried to go south to Du Quoin.
Shot Description
Runtime of 7:28 includes three different SOTs edited down at end of clip. They are as follows..
6:11-6:45 Tony Jones, Perry County resident
6:46-6:59 Lynn Buckmaster, Perry County Resident
7:00-7:28 Kelsey Lamke, Tamaroa Resident
Scene 1: Perry County Sheriff arriving on scene to close US-51 at Tamaroa.
Scene 2: Kelsey Lamke walking across flooded US-51 with traffic stopped in the flash flood waters. The Tamaroa city sign in the background.
Scene 3: Wide shot with Kelsey standing in the water with stopped traffic behind her.
Scene 4-5: Shot looking straight down US-51 into Tamaroa as oncoming traffic closes in on flood waters. Transitions to those cars passing through water.
Scene 6: POV shot out windshield as white van stalls in high waters in the northbound lanes. Behind it, a black car stalls in the southbound lanes.
Scene 7: Woman walking toward two stalled cars.
Scene 8: Woman approaches driver side of stalled white van.
Scene 9: Another man approaches van from behind.
Scene 10: Shot of woman and man pushing van as black truck passes, zooms in and out during longer shot.
Scene 11: Shot as van gets pushed by three people with two others walking along side it.
Scene 12: Woman carrying a small dog through flood waters.
Scene 13: Pickup truck passes stalled van with two woman following on foot behind it.
Scene 14: A long shot of a red pickup truck in heavy rains driving through water that goes over the hood while creating a large white cap in the flood waters. This was a side road off US-51, driver getting around closure and barely makes it through this.
Scene 15: Wide shot of scene before closure as several vehicles await to pass through water with three woman walking along flooded shoulder.
Scene 16: Tight shot of oncoming cars driving through water that almost gets up over the hoods.
Scene 17: Tight shot of three cars driving away from camera through US-51 flood waters.
Scene 18: Medium shot of three oncoming cars driving through flood waters.
Scene 19: Wide zoomed shot of flooded US-51 on the north side of Tamaroa.
Scene 20: POV shot of US-51 in the town of Tamaroa in front of the flooded Casey’s gas station.
Scene 21: Black van plows through parking lot flood waters and parks in front of store, cresting a small wave against the building.
Scene 22: Shot looking at Caseys building with cars parked right up to the wall.
Scene 23: Black car quickly exits flooded parking lot.
Scene 24: Woman standing in knee-deep water behind an SUV in the parking lot flooding.
Scene 25: Two people crossing the flooded parking lot.
Scene 26: Three teenagers walking from the flooded parking lot with grocery bags.
Scene 27: Driver of maroon SUV stands on island while authorizing gas pump.
Scene 28: Zoomed shot from driver out to his car in the flooded parking lot as passenger in the car leans out and takes cell phone picture.
Scene 29: Man walks from front doors to his pickup truck in ankle-deep water as an SUV pulls into frame.
Scene 30: A man gets out of a red car and opens his vehicle’s gas cap while standing in ankle-deep water.
Scene 31: Shot of red car at pump in flood waters.
SOTs listed above begin here.