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Weather Alert

Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in
Illinois...

Big Muddy River near Murphysboro affecting Jackson County.

...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in
Illinois...

Big Muddy River near Plumfield affecting Franklin and Williamson
Counties.

.Levels on the Big Muddy River will continue to fall, dropping below
flood stage near Plumfield and Murphysboro late Sunday or Monday.

For the Big Muddy River...including Plumfield, Murphysboro...
Moderate flooding is forecast.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks.

Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.

&&

...FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY MONDAY MORNING...

* WHAT...Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast.

* WHERE...Big Muddy River near Plumfield.

* WHEN...Until early Monday morning.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 10:30 AM CDT Wednesday the stage was 24.3 feet.
- Forecast...The river is expected to fall below flood stage
late Sunday evening.
- Flood stage is 20.0 feet.


&&

Crash on Route 3 in Union County kills 2 SIU students, woman from Cape Girardeau

  • Updated
  • 0
Route 3 crash

UPDATE: 5:09 p.m.

Illinois State Police have released more details in the deadly crash on Route 3 early Thursday morning. 

ISP says a Fiat sedan was traveling south on Rt. 3, just north of Old Cape Road. For unknown reasons, the car crossed the center line and struck the front of a Toyota sedan.

The driver of the Fiat, Marie Meunier, 32 of Cape Girardeau, one of her passengers, Vamshi Pechetty, 23 of Carbondale and the other driver, Pavan Swarna, 23 of Carbondale, were all pronounced dead at the scene. 

The other three passengers in the Toyota, 23-year-old Yaswanth Uppalapati, 23-year-old Kakumanu Karthik and 24-year-old Kalyan Dorna, all of Carbondale, were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 

Pechetty, Swarna, Uppalapati,Karthik and Dorna were all members of the SIU Carbondale community. 

This is an open and ongoing investigation. 

UPDATE: 1:30 p.m.

According to a release from ¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý Illinois University Carbondale, two of the three people that were killed on Route 3 in Union County Thursday morning were SIU students. 

Chancellor Austin A. Lane released a statement on the tragedy saying, 

“We are heartbroken to learn of a tragic car accident that has taken the lives of two members of the Saluki family and injured three others.

We send our condolences to the families of Vamshi Krishna Pechetty, a graduate student in computer science, and Pavan Swarna, a graduate student in computer science, and we hope Kalyan Dorna, a graduate student in civil engineering, Karthik Kakumanu, a graduate student in computer science, and Yaswanth Uppalapati, a graduate student in computer science, will heal.

We are working to support the families during this incredibly difficult time. Our Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) team is available to help others who are impacted by this tragedy. Our thoughts and hearts are with these students and their loved ones.�

UPDATE: 9:00 a.m.

State Route 3 south from Ware to East Cape has reopened to traffic. 

Illinois State Police confirm two vehicles were involved in the crash and three people have died. 

More information will be released later. 

UPDATE: 7 AM April 21st

We have new details to pass along about a 3 vehicle crash just south of Ware.

Illinois State Police have confirmed it is a fatal crash.

Route 3 is expected to be closed while crews reconstruct the scene.

Shawnee School District will be open today. Expect delays with buses. 

Stay with News 3 as we learn more. 

ORIGINAL:

(WSIL) -- Traffic is being rerouted after an early morning crash on Illinois Route 3. 

Illinois State Police say State Route 3 South from Ware to East Cape intersection is closed due to a vehicle accident that happened just after 5 am Thursday. 

Motorists are asked to avoid the area.

Law enforcement asks motorists to detour using State Route 127 S to Route 3 in Alexander County.

Shawnee School District says they will reroute the south buses through Old Cape Road. 

They anticipate buses will be late this morning due to the road closure.Â