Truck driver rescued from high water

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The driver of a semi is rescued from the cab of his truck, after driving into high water.

Around midnight Thursday (5/5) the Carl Junction Fire Department was dispatched to rescue the single occupant of a semi truck, after that driver found himself in more than two feet of water which flowed across Highway 171, near Z Highway, just north of Carl Junction.

Firefighters used a water raft, powered by a single propeller motor to reach the stranded driver who was approximately 100 yards from dry pavement on Highway 171.

After being rescued from the cab of his semi truck, the driver said that he was not injured and didn’t require medical attention.

The Carl Junction Police Department closed the section of Highway 171 where the semi truck became stranded by high rushing water.

That section of the Highway 171 near Center Creek in Jasper County, will remain closed until the high water recedes and the semi truck can be removed.

Other area fire departments have reported similar water rescues tonight in Barton, Jasper, and Lawrence Counties.

FLOOD WARNING

Very heavy rainfall from a storm system affecting Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue a Flood Warning for several counties in the four states until 1:00 p.m. today (5/5).

Since 11:00 a.m. Wednesday morning (5/4), 4.47″ of rain had fallen at the Joplin Airport.

The NWS has also issued a Flood Warning for Spring River in Jasper County.

The river is expected to rise above flood stage late this morning, to a crest of 24 feet just after midnight (5/6).

Spring River in Jasper County is considered to be at flood stage when it reaches 19 feet.

The NWS said that the anticipated crest of Spring River in Jasper County is comparable to a previous crest of 24 feet that occurred nearly 50 years ago on November 2nd, 1972.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *