Cooper, Boone County officials ask drivers to ‘turn around, don’t drown’ ahead of more storms
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ
As severe storms approach Mid-Missouri after days of rain, Boone and Cooper County officials are reminding people to “turn around, don’t drown” when they see water on roadways.
Cooper County is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 10 p.m. Friday.
“We’ll be monitoring the weather all day,” Cooper County Emergency Management Agency Director Larry Oerly said.
Some roads in Cooper County were still flooded Friday afternoon following the rain earlier in the morning. Doyle Road, a gravel roadway, had flooded fields alongside it, but the road itself didn’t have standing water. Oerly said Doye Road tends to flood.
“The biggest thing to keep the first responders safe, to keep yourself safe, don’t drive around barricades,” Oerly said. “If you see water over the roadway, don’t drive through it. You don’t know what’s underneath it.”
Boone County Emergency Management Director Chris Kelley echoed that sentiment, noting that many county roads susceptible to flooding have signs indicating it.
“Residents should watch for water over roadways, especially at night when it’s harder to see. If you cannot see the road markings through the water, you should not attempt to drive through it,” Kelley said.
Kelley also said drivers should report flooded roadways to their local public safety agencies, including 311.
Kelley also said moving barricades to drive through the closed road is a bad idea.
“Never drive around barricades,” he said. “They’re there for your safety. If folks do come across a flooded road or a roadway that has water over it, the safest decision is to turn around and find another route. No destination is worth risking your life.”