A Red Cross volunteer who recently returned from helping out flood victims in the Pulaski County area said he was impressed with the power of Mother Nature.
It was the first time Brian Rickard of Hallsville had been out on a relief effort trip.
"The ability of water to easily pick up and float off a house was something," he said. "It was a lot less messier than a tornado, but it was bad nonetheless."
Rickard said volunteers met at the Jefferson City Red Cross offices to divide up into teams.
"We went along the Big Piney River and found other places where many of the homes are built on stilts in the flood plain," he said. "Some had been taken off their piers and floated down the river a significant distance. There were places where there was 30 feet of water. We saw boats and couches in trees."
In the Newburg area, Rickard said some homes only had a couple of feet of water in them so they had begun the process of cleaning up.
"Around Devil's Elbow we heard about a lot of thefts," he said. "There was an instance where flooding moved a car onto a rock and all four tires on the car were stolen. Just down the road from there, a family had their Christmas gifts stolen. They were evacuated after Christmas and had to leave them."
"The most heartbreaking was dealing with the owner of a canoe rental business who broke down and cried and said he wouldn't be able to get back into the business," Rickard added. "A lot of people didn't have flood insurance."
Rickard advised anyone seeking to help flood victims to contact the Pulaski County Community Organizations Active in Disaster. Located in Waynesville, it are coordinating efforts to help residents.
To contact them, call 573-774-3355 or go to their Facebook page or email them at [email protected].
Rickard said residents need dry vacs and dehumidifiers to get mold out.
Red Cross is also collecting donations and if you'd like to drop off clothing items you may do so at in their boxes outside of local stores throughout the Jefferson City area.