Floodwaters have displaced residents from their homes in parts of Iowa due to weeks of heavy rain, while much of the United States is seeking relief from another round of intense heat on Saturday.
Emergency sirens sounded at 2 a.m. in Rock Valley, Iowa, a town of 4,200 people, where residents in hundreds of homes were instructed to evacuate as the Rock River reached its limit with the continuous rainfall in the region. The city was also experiencing a water shortage as the wells were rendered unusable.
Mayor Kevin Van Otterloo mentioned that a state helicopter was on its way to assist, but was eventually canceled as boats were able to reach the stranded residents.
“The amount of rain we’ve had here is overwhelming,” he stated. “Last night we received 4 inches in just an hour and a half. Our soil simply cannot absorb any more.”
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Governor Kim Reynolds declared a state of emergency for 21 counties in northern Iowa, including Sioux County, which encompasses Rock Valley. A drone video shared by the local sheriff showed submerged streets with only rooftops and treetops visible above the water.
Meanwhile, across the U.S., the oppressive heat and humidity persisted. The National Weather Service reported that approximately 15 million individuals were under a heat warning— the highest level of alert— while an additional 90 million were under a heat advisory.
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Temperatures nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit were projected for Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, with cities like Philadelphia, Newark, Columbus, and Detroit preparing for temperatures in the high 90s.
On the West Coast in California, temperatures in the Central Valley were forecasted to reach as high as 106 Fahrenheit, leading the NWS to issue a heat advisory until 8 p.m. The Sacramento Bee reported that nearly 4,000 residences and businesses in Sacramento experienced a brief power outage in the middle of the day.
