EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — Social media users are praising sheriff’s deputies in Clay County after the Sunday night rescue of two families trapped in a flooded area outside Excelsior Springs.
One of the six people trapped in the water said it was one of the strangest things he’s ever seen. Excelsior Springs resident Zack Long said he and some friends had stopped on a rural section of 108th Street to chat. As they sat idle, Long says water began to rise around their cars. Their dirt patch of road became an island as the Fishing River’s waters surrounded them, climbing up the tires of their cars.
Cecilia William is another of the six people who became trapped, and, as her cell phone photos show, water quickly collected on both sides of the road, trapping them with their vehicle.
“It finally rose up to just under where you get in the car. It was right by our doors, basically,” William said.
William and five others sat trapped, and looking for help during a four-hour ordeal.
“I was sitting here talking to a buddy when the water started raising up real high. We weren’t able to get across. So, we just stayed there,” Long said.
A rescue crew from the Clay County Sheriff’s office used a small boat to help rescue the half-dozen trapped people. John Banazzo with the sheriff’s office says those deputies helped members of the Excelsior Springs Fire Department to free the six who were stuck. The Sheriff’s Facebook profile shows some of the compliments their officers are receiving.
“I was glad because of my kids. If it weren’t for my kids, I would rather just stay out there with the truck. I’m glad they came,” Long said.
On Monday afternoon, William and Long were able to get their cars back, as the water began to disappear. However, they’ll always be appreciative for law enforcement’s helping hand.
Banazzo says the water that came from the river is another byproduct of the heavy rain we’ve had this summer. He advises to use good sense when encountering areas of high water; if it looks too deep, don’t try to drive through it.