Northern Iowans Reel from Worst Flood in 157 Years (Midwest flood update 2)

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Northern Iowans Reel from Worst Flood in 157 Years (Midwest flood update 2)

DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Oscar Sanchez, U.S. Air Force

The National Guard assisted with traffic management in Cedar Rapids.

TOXIC WATER? Flooding submerged streets and croplands, turning nearly a third of Iowa into an inland sea. As the water begins receding, northern Iowans struggle to reclaim their lives while their neighbors to the southeast continue sandbagging.

by Patricia McFadden
Informify Staff Writer
June 18, 2008

In spite of heroic efforts last week, levees on many Iowan rivers failed. More than 36,000 residents evacuated as the record-breaking waters flooded their homes and businesses, including the University of Iowa campus. Nor has the state seen the last of the flooding. Volunteers continue to sandbag levees in the southeastern part of the state where flood levels are predicted to crest sometime Wednesday.

Iowa Flooding: Quick Facts

Killed:	5 people
Evacuated:	36,000 people
Counties Affected:	83 of 99 counties declared disaster areas by governor
Crops Lost:	3.3 million acres (20% of Iowa's cropland)
Power Outages:	27,000 homes and businesses

Though rain has stopped for the moment, problems continue:

flood waters carry toxic substances
entire towns uninhabitable
crops ruined
emergency funds running low

Four Iowa Cities Hit Hardest, Palo Completely Wiped Out

Although floods affected much of the eastern part of the state, water particularly damaged these towns:

Palo

1,000 people (entire town) evacuated
most homes damaged

Cedar Falls

1,300 city blocks (9 square miles) under water
24,000 evacuated

Iowa City

400 homes damaged
16 University of Iowa buildings damaged

Des Moines

200 homes flooded after Birdland Levee burst

Saturday Iowa Gov. Chet Culver said Iowans will rebuild. "We will be stronger at the end of the day. Iowans are at their best when their backs are against the wall." (The Wall Street Journal, (6/17/08)

Flood Water Carries Contaminants

Not only is the flood water deep and fast, it's toxic. Substances contaminating the water include...

gasoline and other petroleum products
pesticides, herbicides and fertilizer
raw human sewage
dead animals and animal feces

Ken Sharp, environmental health director for the Iowa Department of Public Health, said the volume of flood water dilutes these hazardous substances.

"We don't typically see mass cases of disease or illness coming from flood water," Sharp said, "but under any circumstances like this, we want people to avoid it because we don't know what's in there." (Associated Press, 6/17/08)

Question for Readers:

If you only had a few minutes to evacuate your home, what would you take with you?

As the floodwater heads downstream, cities along the Mississippi River do their best to prepare.

Donate to the Red Cross: Go to the American Red Cross donation page and click on "Where the need is greatest." No donation is too small. One dollar buys a bottle of water for someone in an area where drinking water is contaminated.
Donate Leave Time: Many employers allow employees to donate leave time to someone else. If this is the case at your workplace, donate some of your unused leave time to disaster victims.
Give blood: Many people get injured during natural disasters. Donating a pint or two of your blood could save someone's life. See givelife.org for more information.
Donate food, clothing and bedding: The Salvation Army and other organizations give bundles of basic necessities to disaster victims.
Check with your church or synagogue: Many religious groups take truckloads of necessities such as shampoo, toothpaste and soap to disaster areas.