River cresting above flood stage at St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The National Weather Service says the swollen Mississippi River is about to crest at just under nine feet above flood stage at St. Louis.

The river's high water has closed only the President Casino and a handful of other businesses along the city's riverfront.

Upriver from St. Louis, the river is slowly receding in hard-hit towns like Winfield and Foley, Mo., but it will be some time before residents can assess the damage.

Downriver from St. Louis, the river is expected to crest Wednesday at Cape Girardeau at just over 12 feet above flood stage. Thousands of acres of farmland are flooded but a floodwall protects Cape Girardeau and most of its 36,000 residents.

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