MANY CONTINUE BATTLE AGAINST MISSISSIPPI

The muddy floodwaters hugged the small, white frame home of Rebecca Ford and Wayne Robinett Saturday afternoon, threatening to swamp it.

The water stood as deep as 3 feet around the house on North Main in Cape Girardeau's Red Star area. Water from the flooded Mississippi River and Sloan Creek had climbed to within several inches of the deck on the house.

But Ford and Robinett, who now venture from their home in wading boots, said they hope to stick it out.

"We got up every couple of hours last night, checking," said Ford.

Across the river, a number of Olive Branch, Ill., residents and volunteers sandbagged homes and businesses Saturday in a scene reminiscent of last summer's flooding.

The Mississippi River was forecast to crest at 42.5 feet Saturday -- but as of 7 p.m. the river stood at 41.9 feet on the Cape Girardeau gauge, the National Weather Service said.

Meanwhile, in Jefferson City Saturday, Gov. Mel Carnahan announced that he's seeking a presidential disaster declaration for areas of Missouri hit by spring storms and flooding over the last week.

"It is absolutely critical that we move quickly in order to get people the help they need," Carnahan said. "People are suffering because of this tragedy, and I want to make certain that we do everything we can to assist them."

The request was made in a letter submitted through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's office in Kansas City.

The governor said the request covered the counties of Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln, St. Louis and St. Charles, the city of St. Louis and other areas of central and southern Missouri hit by storms and flooding.

For Ford and Robinett, the floodwaters are an all-too-familiar scene. Heavy flooding forced the couple out of their home last July. Before it was over, the house had 6 feet of water in it.

Ford said it took months to renovate the house. "We've been back three and a half months," said Ford.

"We totally redid that house," said Robinett. "It's got all new floors, new walls and new carpet. It's like a brand new house."

But with the floodwaters now lapping at the exterior walls, Robinett said he expects more repairs will be needed.

He and Ford said they're tired of battling floods and would welcome a government buyout.

Cape Girardeau police said 15 homes in the city have been vacated because of flooding.

At Olive Branch, Alexander County Commissioner Louis Maze began sandbagging his brick home Saturday afternoon, with the aid of several friends. By mid-afternoon, a 4-foot-high wall of sandbags was taking shape around the home as murky floodwaters -- only several feet away -- inched ever closer.

Outside the community center in Olive Branch, volunteers like registered nurses Melinda Hammond of Goreville, Ill., and Judy Gotway of Marion, Ill., filled sandbags. "We just came down to offer our help," said Hammond.

At the nearby Alexander County Highway Department shed along Route 3, 40 inmates of the Dixon Springs (Ill.) Boot Camp filled bag after bag with sand. The boot camp's Capt. L.G. Hass said that from 80 to 40 inmates had been filling sandbags from about 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily since Thursday.

Olive Branch area homes and businesses are threatened by Horseshoe Lake flooding, caused by a break in the Len Small levee near Miller City. The Cache River is also backing up as a result of flooding along the Ohio River.

The levee was breached during last year's record flood. It was being repaired when it gave way Wednesday, creating a 1,200-foot gash in the southernmost part of the levee.

Maze said about 25 families had moved out, but a handful were staying put, although all roads to the area were under water.

Even with the encroaching floodwaters, Maze said many Olive Branch residents were reluctant to begin sandbagging their homes.

"People are still waiting," said Maze. "They don't believe it (will affect them).

"They don't realize the Ohio is biting them in the backside," said Maze.