Ohio River continues receding in Southern Illinois
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A bridge linking Southern Illinois to Kentucky has reopened as the Ohio River continues its descent.
The National Weather Service says the Ohio River at Cairo as of Monday morning was at 53.5 feet after having risen earlier this month to nearly 62 feet. That record high level had strained the city's flood wall and prompted Cairo to evacuate until last week.
The weather service says the Ohio should continue falling at Cairo to below 51 feet by Friday.
An Ohio River bridge between Cairo and Wickliffe, Ky., reopened Sunday.
At Metropolis, the river on Monday was at 47.2 feet and expected to drop to a little over 43 feet by Friday.
Floodwaters had swamped portions of Superman's adoptive hometown but spared the tourist city's town square.