Drone video of flooding in Craig, Mo. Residents say it may be worse than 1993

Travis Kent had heard the stories of what the flooding was like in his hometown of Craig, Mo. back in 1993. The devastating flood wrecked property and lives all along the waters of the Mississippi River basin including Craig which is located near the Missouri River in Holt County.

From the stories he’s hearing now, the current flooding could be worse than what happened in 1993, at least for Craig. “All the old timers talk about ninety-three. I was just a kid then. I don’t know what it was like then, but from what I’ve heard, it’s definitely way worse than that,” Kent said.

Kent talked about the flooding Wednesday while he stood at the water’s edge just outside of town. He and his brother had been making their way back into town, like many residents in boats and on tractors, to move items to higher areas in their mother’s house. He said the water was rising much faster than he had expected.

The effects of flooding in Craig and in the Northwest Missouri area may not end anytime soon. The Missouri River is expected to crest at near-record levels on Thursday.

Kent says he is worried about what the current flood means for the future of Craig with a population of about 250 people. “It’s a shame. It’s a small community. It’s a farm community. It’s declining,” Kent said. “I hope we can recover. I don’t know if it will recover from this or not. It’s devastating.”

This story was originally published March 21, 2019 at 7:13 AM.