Gov. Mike Parson has signed an executive order in response to flooding and severe weather over the past few days. Parts of southern Missouri and the St. Louis area have suffered from flooding and storm damage, with more expected as river levels crest.

The Parson Administration urges residents to follow the direction of local emergency personnel and use extra caution on the roads as the floodwaters begin to recede.

The governor explained why issuing the order was needed.

"You know, we just come out kind of a drought here and all of a sudden, we got all of the rain and the floods," he told Missourinet. "The one thing we wanted to get that into effect real quick so we can assess the damage of the flood and all of the damage we've got."

The executive order ensures that state resources are available should further disruptions or damage occur from river levels cresting and floodwaters receding.

"The quicker I get that executive order, the more chance we got for federal relief on some of the things that are happening," he said. "So that's why we did it."

The order activates the State Emergency Operations Center and response plan, which SEMA, the State Emergency Management Agency, coordinates recovery and cleanup.