Pulaski County flash flooding kills one, others still missing

A young child drowned and dozens of people were out of their homes after flash flooding hit south-central Missouri.

Pulaski County Sheriff Ron Long says the child’s body was found early Tuesday near Mitchell Creek on the west side of Waynesville. The child was between 4 and 6 years old.

According to affiliate KSPR, the boy and his mother were in a car that was swept away by rising flash flooding between the Price Cutter grocery store and Waynesville Middle School.

As of noon, the boy’s mother was still missing and had not been located, Long said.

Rescuers also are looking for missing people, but Long did not say how many are missing.

Authorities say that flooding from heavy rainfall has damaged between 100 and 200 homes and business in the Waynesville area after the Mitchell and Roubidoux creeks rose rapidly.

Emergency personnel were going door-to-door in the flooded areas to make sure others were all accounted for and OK.

In some areas, flash floodwaters already have receded, leaving behind debris at people’s homes. But other larger streams were still flooded Tuesday. In some low-lying places, floodwaters were bubbling up from manholes and flowing down city streets.

Waynesville is near Fort Leonard Wood. The Missouri State Highway Patrol has responded with rescue boats and says U.S. Army personnel are on standby if needed.

The Heart of Missouri chapter of the American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter in St. Robert early Tuesday morning at the request of county leaders. The shelter at the St. Robert Community Center will be open overnight and into Wednesday

There were at least 27 clients at the shelter as of noon Tuesday.

Sheriff Long said Tuesday that anyone missing a loved one should contact the shelter instead of authorities. The shelter is located at the St. Robert Community Center, at 114 JH Williamson Dr.

Stay with ABC 17 News and abc17news.com for updates on this developing story.