County Executive Sam Page declared a state of emergency in St. Louis County on Nov. 7 following widespread flooding from heavy rainfall on Nov. 5, resulting in damage to homes, infrastructure and the loss of life.

The executive order was signed at the request of Michele Ryan, director of the county’s Office of Emergency Management. Declaring a state of emergency allows Ryan to request state and federal resources to assist the county.

The state emergency declaration comes as the Meramec River is expected to hit major flooding levels Nov. 8. Road crews are closely monitoring river levels and closing some streets – including northbound and southbound Route 141 under Interstate 44 – in anticipation of high water.

County officials are still assessing the damage to homes, businesses, roads, bridges and parks.

“Please do not drive into water over a road,” Page stated in a press release. “It can take just a few inches of moving water to carry away a vehicle.”