Iowa river has swamped 400 city blocks

[DogPoundPup]

Source: MSNBC

Cedar Rapids hospital evacuates; Des Moines also urges evacuations

NBC News and news services
updated 1 hour, 3 minutes ago

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - This city had hoped the worst would be over by Friday, but instead the Cedar River keeps rising and has now swamped more than 400 blocks and forced thousands to flee. In Des Moines, meanwhile, officials issued a voluntary evacuation order as the Des Moine River neared the tops of levees.

Cedar Rapids officials earlier said 100 blocks were underwater, but that number rose to at least 438 city blocks in downtown by midday Friday. There was more flooding outside of downtown, but authorities don't know what widespread it is.

Officials earlier evacuated patients from a Cedar Rapids hospital as the rising waters from the Cedar River confounded the city's best efforts to secure the downtown area. Much of the Midwest remained under threat of more severe weather, with yet another storm front moving through Kansas, Missouri and Wisconsin.

In Cedar Falls, officials early Friday had hoped the Cedar River would crest Friday at about 31.8 feet, but NBC's Kevin Tibbles later reported from the city that officials now fear it won't crest until the weekend, with a predicted crest of 33 feet.

The water has been rising about two inches an hour, Tibbles added.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25020185/

---

This may be going to get MUCH, MUCH WORSE for the U.S. economy in so many ways.

From the article, pg. 2:
People in several northern Missouri communities, meanwhile, were piling up sandbags to prepare for flooding in the Missouri River, expected to crest over the weekend, and a more significant rise in the Mississippi River expected Wednesday.

[Mind_your_head]

1. Did you see this picture?

I'm certainly concerned about the people, but what happens to all of the animals?

(sorry I don't know how to get this picture to display w/o clicking the link)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25126905/displaymode/1107/s/2/framenumber/1/

[DogPoundPup]

4. Maybe you don't want to know...I don't

After 7 1/2 yrs. of bush cabal horror, I'm full up, not able to cope with much more tragic tales.

[Mabus]

5. here's a copy of the picture

fyi, the easiest way to capture a picture like this is to center it on your screen then hit Alt-PrntScrn. Next you open up something like MSPaint and hit Ctrl-V and then upload it to a hosting site like photobucket. Once it is uploaded you can copy the link to your picture and paste it in your post.

[Mind_your_head]

13. Thank you for the info

and thank you for posting the pic here so that people don't have to click the link.

[JoDog]

6. There's not much that can be done

with livestock. You basically get them to the highest point you can, leave as much food and water as possible and a herding dog where applicable, and pray.

[villager]

8. Another deeply affecting picture:

[BlooInBloo]

2. Wow. Didn't realize Iowa HAD that many city blocks...

I hope they all receive better aid than Katrina folks did.

[Winterblues]

3. I am sure they will because not nearly as many blacks live there.

:shrug:

[spinbaby]

7. It's probably time for Bush to play a guitar

Or bake a cake or something.

[rove karl rove]

18. I think he should read another book to kids

in an elementary school somewhere. That's a LOT of rain.

[FatDave]

16. Des Moines and surrounding areas has population 500K.

Medium sized city with large insurance industry.

[bdamomma]

9. and where is the National Guard to help these people, oh

that's right they are fighting for *'s oil.

All I hear is what the volunteers are doing to help, so is this what it comes down to, volunteers those who want to help their fellow man and in the meantime the government ignores its people again, sounds and looks familiar.

[Frustratedlady]

10. The National Guard is working in Cedar Rapids. In fact, one unit just returned.

Wouldn't that be something if they were called out the next week to guard the towns in the U.S.?

Has Bush even made any comment on the flooding or what will be done? Iowans will take care of as much as they can, but this is so extensive, they will need help. Imagine all the furnaces, water heaters, washers/driers in those basements that will have to be replaced, not to mention all the furniture, household items they couldn't get up and out of the way.

I doubt they will be depending much on Bush.

[bdamomma]

14. * was with the pope and talking about how they both do not

believe in global warming.

[FatDave]

17. My best friend in Des moines has national guard working in his neighborhood (nt)

[Tansy_Gold]

12. A big "thumbs up" and round of applause for Volunteers

I'm in Arizona, where it's sunny and hot and dry as the proverbial bone, but I'm born and bred midwest, so I know what you're all going through up there. I remember the floods in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the early 80s, where one of the "star" volunteers was John Cougar Mellencamp.

I don't think Cedar Rapids or Des Moines or any of the other communities in the water's path will fare nearly as bad as New Orleans because a.) there's been more warning time and b.) there are more people with more means of evacuating themselves, their belongings, and their neighbors. Katrina was an onslaught, and even though there were warnings (from sensible, intelligent people), there were no means provided for effecting the massive evacuation needed.

But the "donation" of so many National Guard troops and their equipment to booosh's war is just unconscionable. I just heard on the local NPR news this morning that Arizona is withholding wildfire-fighting crews and equipment from California because there aren't enough to go around in the event Arizona needs them. This is depressing. There's always been a sense of shared responsibility, mutual assistance, and now we just don't have the means to do what we know is right.

God damn you to fucking hell, boooosh, and all the evil little slime-coated devils you brought with you. May you rot for ever and ever and ever.


Tansy Gold, sick at heart.

[seemslikeadream]

11. Road Closures in Des Moines Google Map

Road Closures in Des Moines Google Map

http://www.dmgov.org/closuremap.htm




1 George Flagg
2 Fleur Drive
3 Walnut Hill Dr.
4 Saylor Dr.
5 Prospect Rd.
6 Carlisle Rd.
7 ML King
8 Granger & Edison
9 Downtown Bridges
10 Robert D.Ray Drive
11 NW 66 Avenue
12 NW Toni Dr.
13 NW 26 St./NW Morningstar Drive
14 NW 23 St.
15 NW 54 Avenue
16 NW 45 Place
17 NW Beaver Drive
18 SE 45 St.
19 SE 44 Ave.
20 SE 40 St.
21 HWY 65
22 NW 6th Dr.
23 Euclid
24 Raccoon River Drive
25 Hickman
26 Willaims and E Washington
27 Vandalia Road
28 Johnson Drive
29 ML King
30 Hartford
31 SE 22nd
32 Thomas Beck Rd.
33 University Avenue
34 North Valley Drive
35 NW 62nd
36 Grand Ave
37 Murphy St.
38 Roads Open over Rivers

[Frustratedlady]

15. Surprise, surprise, surprise! The National Guard is being called in to Iowa

They just announced on CNN they were told to get prepared to move out. They are in Texas, at present.

I am shocked. Someone else must have done it, as I can't believe Boooosh would have the sense to do so.