Event narrative (NOAA)
Two persons died after their truck stalled in floodwater on a secondary road near Waltonville. The three occupants of the truck climbed on top of it. One of the victims dropped her purse in the water and dove after it. Two other occupants of the truck dove in to rescue her. One of the rescuers swam to safety, but the other two persons were found submerged in debris about 1,000 yards from the truck. Numerous roads were closed around the county. Schools were closed. Illinois Route 148 was closed at the Big Muddy River bridge as water rose several feet over the bridge. Route 37 was closed south of Mount Vernon. One family in Mount Vernon was displaced when the basement walls caved in. At least fifty basements were flooded in the city.
Other notable flood events in Illinois
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.