Oct. 31--The wettest October recorded in the metro-east culminated Friday with the flooding of several thoroughfares and was blamed for causing the wall of a Belleville house to collapse, severing a gas line and causing the evacuation of a six-block area.

The rain is expected to clear today through the middle of next week, National Weather Service meteorologist Laura Kanofsky said.

The weekend will be mostly sunny, with a high of 54 today and 62 on Sunday. Low temperatures will be 39 today and 44 on Sunday.

There were 17 days of rain in October, with a record 12.38 inches of precipitation at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport this month as of 4 p.m. Friday. The rainfall smashed a 90-year record for the St. Louis area of 8.52 inches set in October 1919.

"This is the wettest October recorded by over 4 inches," Kanofsky said. "This weekend, we're looking at a couple of much-needed days of drier weather. Several dry days will certainly help with all the flooding issues in the region."

Emergency crews closed West Main Street in Belleville and evacuated a six-block area for about an hour Friday morning after a basement wall collapsed at 9827 W. Main St., severing the home's natural gas line.

The additional rain on top of soaked ground was the likely culprit for causing the wall to collapse.

Fire and police departments responded about 9:30 a.m. and reopened West Main Street between Illinois 157 and 95th Street at 11 a.m.

An Ameren worker shut off the gas at the home at 10:25 a.m., said Victoria Busch of Ameren Illinois. Linemen shut off electricity at four surrounding homes. The power was restored to those homes by 11 a.m.

"With natural gas, you can't take any chances with ignition points such as electrical services," Assistant Fire Chief Steve Klingler said.

Klingler was not certain of the total amount of damage to the home. "It appears like it's just that west wall of the house," he said.

Homeowner Billy Johnson said his wife, Linda, heard the basement wall collapse shortly after 9 a.m.

"I'm quite sure it was mine subsidence," Johnson said. "Every time it rains, I get a shift."

The house sits on the north side of the street. The backyard is a steep downward hill.

Johnson's PT Cruiser, parked in his gravel driveway alongside the two-story house, slid into the house when the ground and wall gave way. A tow truck was needed to remove the car.

Last spring, contractor and neighbor Larry Monroe, of 9823 W. Main, helped Johnson trim doors in his house after the house shifted during a rain storm.