Death toll from Albert Pike flash floods reaches 18
| Updated: 6/13/2010 8:04 am |
Published: 6/12/2010 1:57 pm |
As of late Saturday 18 people had died and 22 others were missing after flash flooding hit the Albert Pike Campground in southwest Arkansas early Friday. Search and rescue crews in Pike County planned to get back to work early Sunday morning after stopping for the night.
As the level of the Missouri and Caddo rivers drops the devastation becomes more evident. The water tossed trucks and RVs around like toys. The National Weather Service says the river water rose 20 feet in 4 hours charging through the campground at intense speeds early Friday morning.
Professional and volunteer search and rescue crews spent Saturday searching on horseback ATVs, boats and hiked on foot trying to find survivors. The whole process was heartwrenching and frustrating.
Volunteer Jake Meredith said, "The volunteers are awesome. We're just doing what we can to get done what needs to be done."
Rescue crews are facing challenges along the way: intense heat, thick vegetation and sparse cell phone service in this rural area. Crews installed temporary towers. But those who know the missing say they have no choice but to search.
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