The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) continues to be fully activated daily in response to rising water levels and flooding along the Arkansas River. Every day the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) staff is joined by representatives from other state and federal agencies to support Arkansas’s response efforts. Affected areas include Arkansas, Chicot, Conway, Crawford, Desha, Faulkner, Franklin, Jefferson, Johnson, Lincoln, Logan, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Sebastian, and Yell Counties along with the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock.
Citizens affected by this flood event should take all safety precautions and follow the advice of local officials. If property damage occurs, and if it is safe to do so, take pictures of the damage. Citizens can contact their local Office of Emergency Management to determine what preparedness measures they should take.
Here are a few things you may need if you have to leave home to stay in a shelter: bedding, reclining lawn loungers, rubber flip-flops, towels and washcloths, toilet paper, over-the-counter medicines, earplugs and an eye mask, entertainment, solar cell phone charger, emergency hand crank radio, and any prescription medications you may need.
Levees remain a concern as they have never held back as much water for as much time as they have in the past. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Arkansas Forestry Commission patrol levees on a regular basis. Some levels are not high enough to hold back the high waters while others are experiencing weakness in their structure and are leaking. Local officials continue to monitor the integrity of levees and make recommendations for evacuations as needed. Not all land is protected by levees and water is able to flood the banks of the Arkansas River. The Civil Air Patrol continues to fly over the affected areas photographing images for officials to analyze and make recommendations bout protective actions. The SEOC will continue daily activation during the duration of the Arkansas River floods. Follow us on social media at @Ar_Emergencies and use the “hashtag” #ArFlood19 when posting to social media.
