| Updated: 5/07/2009 9:59 pm |
Published: 5/07/2009 6:55 pm
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Chouteau, OK- Cleanup continues at Chouteau-Mazie School District's elementary, middle and high schools.
All were saturated Friday because of heavy rains and a nearby flooded-out Chouteau Creek.
"It just came in, it was just coming down the walls," said Brenda Cunningham, a counselor who witnessed the washout. "You can see where the wall's bubbled up here."
Mold now grows in most of the classroom walls.
"They said the water could have gotten as high as four-feet in some areas," said Dr. Stan Horn, Director of Operations for Chouteau-Mazie Schools. "We might have to replace all the sheetrock in some rooms."
Preliminary estimated damages to the school's cafeteria stand at $150,000. For the entire campus, that estimated number is much higher at $400-500,000.
"This flood has created more problems than snow and ice," said Dr. Horn.
Students aren't allowed to return to campus for at least another week.
"Anything that was affected will have to be changed out before we can come into the building," he said.
"The prom dresses, many of them got ruined in the flood."
One dress was the lone survivor out of about 100 dresses that were reserved for the school's "Cinderella's Dress" program, that provides prom dresses to needy students.
The campus is closed Friday. Students will return to classes Monday, at one of two churches that have lent their facilities to the school district. FEMA will be visiting the district Tuesday to conduct damage assessment.
