Rains mean even worse flooding on the Mississippi River

ST. LOUIS -- Already-severe flooding on the Mississippi River is getting worse for several Missouri and Illinois cities and towns.

Heavy rain over the Memorial Day weekend caused the river level to spike again. The National Weather Service now predicts flooding in St. Louis to reach the second-highest level ever -- 14 feet above flood stage Tuesday, topped only by the 1993 flood. The Mississippi is forecast to crest at 45.5 feet June 6 in Cape Girardeau.

No major damage is expected in St. Louis, but some river towns such as Grafton, Illinois, are seeing severe impacts to businesses because of flooding.

Two Mississippi River bridges are now closed. The Champ Clark Bridge at Louisiana, Missouri, closed Monday because of water on the Illinois approach. The Quincy Memorial Bridge closed early Tuesday at the Illinois town, but the second bridge there remains open.