Floodwaters overflowed levees in Iowa on Tuesday, forcing evacuations of nearby small towns and extending days of rainfall-driven water troubles in the region.
Officials in two counties close to Iowa’s border with Nebraska say levees were overtopped. The sheriff’s office in Woodbury County posted drone video of the floodwaters. There have been no reports of injuries in that area so far.
An area reaching from the northern Plains states to the Midwest has dealt with days of torrential rain and the ensuing flooding, all while dangerous heat index temperatures have reached into the triple digits in places.
Eighteen inches of rain have fallen in some areas since last week, driving rivers to record flood stages and damaging bridges and other infrastructure.
At least two people have died amid the flooding.
Floodwaters in North Sioux City, South Dakota, on Monday caused sinkholes, shoved homes off foundations and knocked out utility service.
Water reached the first story of homes and businesses in Spencer, Iowa, after the Little Sioux River flooded. A dozen bridges over the river will need inspection for safety after floodwaters reached over their tops.
Meanwhile, communities further east are preparing for the arrival of water. Residents were stacking thousands of sandbags in Humboldt, Iowa, Tuesday as the first floodwaters crept through yards and toward building foundations.
In Iowa on Monday, President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration, which will free up more federal aid for affected counties in the state.
The National Weather Service forecast more severe weather for the region on Tuesday. Eastern Nebraska and western Iowa faced the potential of large hail and damaging winds, as well as possible tornadoes. Flood warnings were expected to continue in southern Minnesota, eastern South Dakota and northern Iowa through Friday in places, where forecasters said major flooding was expected in many areas.
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