Mar 1, 1997
A vehicle on Interstate 55 just south of Sikeston went out of control and into the St. Johns Bayou drainage ditch. A man pulled his wife to safety from the vehicle, then he fell back into the flooded ditch. His body was swept away and not recovered for over 24 hours. The wife was treated for injuries at a hospital.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 5594911). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.
This event is one of many recorded floods in New Madrid County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.