ALEXANDER COUNTY (WSIL) � Leaders in East Cape Girardeau are trying to find ways to make flood recovery easier while residents in McClure try their best recovery efforts.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials completed reports in mid-August, but East Cape mayor Joe Aden says he hasn’t heard any updates since Gov. J.B. Pritzker filed a FEMA request for $69 million to president Donald Trump.
"Our hands are tied until we hear from FEMA," Aden said. "They’ve had their teams here but we haven’t heard anymore since then."
Dozens of piles of sandbags still populate parts of East Cape and Aden is trying to find more ways to get rid of them while saving the village some money.
"We do want to get rid of them," Aden said. "I want to see them gone too but we’re trying to get them removed at no cost."
In June, News 3 talked to the when the flooding was at its peak and Sonny Nax says he’s spent close to $1000 repairing his home, including fixing his air conditioning unit and buying a new sub pump.
"We weren’t submerged in water we just had the creek rise and it came through between the slab and the walls and into here," Nax said.
Mayor Aden says the flood recovery has been slow and he understands the frustrations residents may have.
"Hopefully FEMA will come through for us, but people have to be patient," Aden said.
