Heavy rain has brought flooding to towns along the Mississippi River with Missouri and Illinois facing near record winter water levels. Flooding on the Meramec River shut down a sewage treatment plant in Fenton, Missouri, on Tuesday, December 29, with reports sewage from the Metropolitan Sewer District had spilled into the river.

The Mississippi River had also reached its highest level since the 1993 “great flood”, prompting the evacuation of West Alton residents. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced that the National Guard will help with flood relief.

Flooding also affected