Mississippi
Floodwaters in Iowa
The rising Mississippi River has broken high-water records up
and down the Iowa and Illinois shore, cresting as high as 12 feet above flood
stage in some places. Estimates place the cost of the damage at over $1 billion
dollars, and concerns are rising over crop damage, toxic remnants that were
washed into neighborhoods, future mosquito invasions, and maintaining supplies
of clean drinking water. Communities further downstream are bracing for possible
flooding as well. (16
photos total)
A huge tornado funnel cloud touches down in Orchard, Iowa,
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 9:04 p.m. The Globe Gazette and Mitchell County Press
News reported that Lori Mehmen of Orchard, took the photo from outside her front
door. Mehmen said the funnel cloud came near the ground and then went back up
into the clouds. Besides tree and crop damage, no human injuries were reported.
(AP Photo/Lori Mehmen)
Waterloo, Iowa residents Daniel Tournier, right, and Otha
Moore, left, watch the swollen Cedar River flow only a couple of feet below the
4th Street bridge in Waterloo, Iowa on Wednesday, June 11, 2008. (AP Photo/David
K. Purdy)
Water from the swollen Cedar River rushes past downtown
buildings Thursday, June 12, 2008, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Officials estimated
that 100 blocks in Cedar Rapids were under water forcing the evacuation of
nearly 4,000 homes and leaving cars underwater on downtown streets. (AP
Photo/Jeff Roberson)
A Union Pacific bridge is partially swept away by high
floodwaters on the Cedar River in downtown Waterloo, Iowa on Tuesday June 10,
2008. With rivers continuing to rise and more heavy rain on the way, state
officials said Tuesday they are trying to help towns already battered by
floodwaters while working to protect others. (AP Photo/The Waterloo Courier,
Morgan Hawthorne)
Flood water from the Iowa River rages through farmland June
15, 2008 near Oakville, Iowa. The Iowa River broke through a levee yesterday
completely flooding the town of Oakville and the surrounding farmland. (Photo by
Scott Olson/Getty Images)
A flooded street Thursday, June 12, 2008, in downtown Cedar
Rapids, Iowa. Officials estimated that 100 blocks in Cedar Rapids were under
water forcing the evacuation of nearly 4,000 homes and leaving cars underwater
on downtown streets. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
An aerial image of downtown shows flood-affected areas June
13, 2008 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Flooding along the Cedar River was expected to
crest today. (Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images)
Flooded home are seen Saturday, June 14, 2008, in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa. Days after it rose out of its banks on its way to record flooding
in Cedar Rapids, the Cedar River has forced at least 24,000 people from their
homes, emergency officials said Saturday. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
A corn field is submerged in flood water June 16, 2008 near
Oakville, Iowa. Farmers along the Mississippi River in Iowa have been emptying
their grain bins and evacuating their livestock as they prepare for record
flooding. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Buildings and debris are seen floating in the Cedar River
against a railroad bridge Saturday, June 14, 2008, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Days
after it rose out of its banks on its way to record flooding in Cedar Rapids,
the Cedar River has forced at least 24,000 people from their homes, emergency
officials said Saturday. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Kitty Lake, owner of The Vine Restaurant, rides on the
front of a boat while surveying the floodwaters on Highway 6, Friday, June 13,
2008 in Coralville, Iowa. (AP Photo/Iowa City Press-Citizen, Matthew
Holst)
William Kimpton, left, and Ben Walker, both of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, wade through floodwaters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Thursday
afternoon, June 12, 2008. 3,900 homes were evacuated from Cedar Rapids, where
rescuers removed people with boats, officials estimated 100 blocks were
underwater, and a railroad bridge over the flooded Cedar River collapsed. (AP
Photo/Iowa City Gazette, Jonathan D. Woods)
Cattle were herded onto a porch and left to avoid drowning
by the rising water from the Cedar River Wednesday June 11, 2008 along the river
north of Vinton, Iowa. Flood waters have inundated the electric plant in Vinton
and the entire city is now without power. Officials are preparing for the Cedar
River to crest at record levels all across the state. (AP Photo/Steve
Pope)
A sign is completely submerged along a road north of
Vinton, Iowa, as water from the Cedar River continues to rise Wednesday June 11,
2008 in Vinton, Iowa. Flood waters have inundated the electric plant in Vinton
and the entire city is now without power. Officials are preparing for the Cedar
River to crest at record levels all across the state. (AP Photo/Steve
Pope)
An angry resident that tried to drive around a security
checkpoint is stopped by one police officer, right, while another tries to break
his window to extract him in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Monday, June 16, 2008. (AP
Photo/Seth Wenig)
Brandon Smith carries his two cats, Fry and Bender, to dry
land from their flooded and evacuated home on June 12, 2008 in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa. Much of the city has been evacuated as the Cedar River continues to rise
to record levels. More rains are predicted over the next few days. (Photo by
David Greedy/Getty Images)
I was in my 30's thinking ooooooo here comes 40!
