A flood-damaged and recently burned home is visible Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in West Alton, Mo. Data from First Street shows that while West Alton is an extreme example of flooding's effect, it's emblematic of challenges faced by smaller communities in the Midwest and South. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
West Alton Mayor Willie Richter speaks outside a vacant and vandalized church Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in West Alton, Mo. Richter recalls the West Alton of decades ago: three churches, an ice cream shop, four taverns where people hung out. "Now we don't have any churches. We have one tavern that's open and it just got reopened not too long ago," he said. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
West Alton Mayor Willie Richter poses for a photo outside what remains of a flood-damaged and burned home Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in West Alton, Mo. Vacant properties invite arson, said Richter, who said four or five abandoned homes have burned since the last big flood. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
A faded water line marking the height of the 1973 flood is visible on the wall of a damaged and vacant church Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in West Alton, Mo. Devastating flooding, driven in part by climate change, is taking an especially damaging toll on communities that once thrived along the banks of the Mississippi River. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
The confluence of the Mississippi River, left, and Ohio River, right, is visible Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Cairo, Ill. Devastating flooding, driven in part by climate change, is taking an especially damaging toll on communities that once thrived along the banks of the Mississippi River. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Bear Creek flows Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Hannibal, Mo. The creek, which runs from the mouth of the Mississippi through the south end of town, has been a consistent source of flooding over the years. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
An abandoned home sits across from a vacant lot Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Hannibal, Mo. Devastating flooding, driven in part by climate change, is taking an especially damaging toll on communities that once thrived along the banks of the Mississippi River. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
People enjoy ice cream outside a downtown business as a cyclist rides past Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Hannibal, Mo. Devastating flooding, driven in part by climate change, is taking an especially damaging toll on communities that once thrived along the banks of the Mississippi River. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
A child runs past an opening in the flood wall protecting downtown Hannibal, Mo., Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The wall protected downtown Hannibal during the flood of 1993 not long after it was completed keeping business open and tourists coming while some homes outside were swamped. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
The reflection of West Alton Mayor Willie Richter is visible on a glass door outside a vacant and vandalized church Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in West Alton, Mo. Richter recalls the West Alton of decades ago: three churches, an ice cream shop, four taverns where people hung out. "Now we don't have any churches. We have one tavern that's open and it just got reopened not too long ago," he said. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Vines grow outside an abandon building Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Cairo, Ill. Devastating flooding, driven in part by climate change, is taking an especially damaging toll on communities that once thrived along the banks of the Mississippi River. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
A vacant lot where, until recently, residences stood as a levee stands and Mississippi River flows past in the distance Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Cairo, Ill. Devastating flooding, driven in part by climate change, is taking an especially damaging toll on communities that once thrived along the banks of the river. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
The interior of a flood-damaged home is visible on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in West Alton, Mo. Data from First Street shows that while West Alton is an extreme example of flooding's effect, it's emblematic of challenges faced by smaller communities in the Midwest and South. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Bear Creek, at bottom, and Mississippi River, to the right, are visible Wednesday, May 22, 2024. In spring 1993, the Mississippi rose fast, and torrential summer rains sent it higher than even the monumental flood of 1973. But downtown stayed dry and open to tourists because of a flood wall and a levee. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Resident and community leader Steve Tarver poses for a photo Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Cairo, Ill. Tarver left the flood-prone city for several years but has since returned home. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)