After an Army Corps of Engineers blew up the Bird Point Levy in Mississippi County, Missouri and flooded nearly 130,000 acres of farmland Monday, it was still not enough. Tuesday, another levee was breached at New Madrid, Missouri. A final explosion is due today near Hickman, Kentucky.
Because the flooding covers several cemeteries and grave sites, there is concern that caskets and skeletal remains may be washed along with the current. Government agencies are working with local officials to plan on the handling and recovery if this is to happen.
There has been a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of the 14 farming operations affected, since the government has stated it will only compensate farmers with crop insurance.
The complaint filed in the United States Court of Federal Claims against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers argued that the property rights of the farmers and landowners under the 5th Amendment to the Constitution were violated when a 15 foot high wall of water was released and flooded their property.
