Contaminated Flood Water Forces Mandatory Evacuation

Monday, July 2nd 2007, 10:03 pm

By: News On 6

Thousands of residents evacuated from Coffeyville, Kansas early Sunday after the Verdigris River overflowed its banks. They have not been allowed back into their homes. The flood water is still contaminated by an oil leak from a nearby refinery, and many homes are still under water Monday night.

Some areas are still under mandatory evacuation, but some residents did manage to sneak past barriers to pack up the rest of their belongings.

All oil still in the water from the refinery leak has contaminated the water, and anyone who has gone in the water is being asked to get a tetanus shot. Authorities did go into the water themselves on Monday to rescue several people by boat, and weâ€™re told they did find five people in the flooded neighborhood, including one man stuck in a tree.

One hundred and fifty people are still in shelters and are still coping with the loss of their homes.

Watch the video: Hundreds Without Homes After Flood Waters Rise

WEB EXTRA: Aerials Of Flooding In Coffeyville

For more flooding information, check out our STORM ZONE web page.