Floods force thousands from homes in Iowa

[barbtries]

Source: AFP (Yahoo News)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AFP) - Iowa's biggest cities were submerged Sunday after swollen rivers forced thousands of residents to flee their homes amid devastating floods in the Midwestern US state.

A large swath of Des Moines was underwater after a river levee was breached in the city of 200,000, and officials were concerned that a forecast thundershower could raise river levels even higher.

In Cedar Rapids, floodwaters began receding late Saturday, and authorities allowed inspectors to do an initial assessment of whether a home is safe to enter.

But "the city continues to be very dangerous but we are doing everything in our power to get people access to their homes as soon as possible in a safe manner," warned Cedar Rapids Mayor Jeff Beauregard.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080615/ts_afp/usweatherflood_080615073245

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Puh-lease, I am busy buffing my legercy in Frenchie Land." - Commander AWOL

"Why don't you Iowonians just pipe down and enjoy the water sports."

- Commander AWOL, compassionate conservative republicon

[pinto]

2. 8,000 sand bags an hour in attempt to hold levee...

"This held for about four hours this morning and they pulled everyone out because it was starting to get loose," Des Moines Fire Department Captain Tony Merrill said, as he looked at a hastily constructed sand berm that floodwaters busted.

"It's very disheartening," he told AFP. "They put down two miles of sand bags last night. They were making 8,000 bags an hour."

At least 2,500 volunteers had registered to help hold the water back by filling and laying down even more sandbags under the hot sun.

[Shoelace]

11. that was heartbreaking to watch on KCRG news

they interviewed the guy and he was so dog tired he could hardly talk or hold back the tears. That breach ended up flooding about 250 homes in Des Moines.

And Bush is having tea with the Queen!!!:cry:

http://www.kcrg.com/

[Doug.Goodall]

3. If Bush had invested just a small part of the money he wasted in Iraq on America's infrastructure

We might be reading different headlines today.

A Trillion Dollars thrown down the toilet in Iraq, while we need new river levees here at home.

Bush didn't learn a thing from Katrina

[barbtries]

4. sure he did

he learned how to use a natural disaster to put more money in his buddies' pockets.

[Shoelace]

5. meanwhile, Bush with Queen at Windsor Castle having tea

"Earlier, in Paris, Bush made a point again to note he was concerned about the record flooding in Iowa and other parts of the Midwest.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/WireStory?id=5157601&page=1"

That is the only mention of this Katrina like disaster in this 3 page article about Bush's teafest with Queenie and company!:grr:

[SpiralHawk]

6. "yes, indeedy. I'm real, um, concernerated. Smirk." - Commander AWOL

[lonestarnot]

7. Obama is filling sandbags, McSame is eating some more cake.

[uppityperson]

8. Keep mrbush in Europe, send the National Guard home please.

National Guard is supposed to be for our nation and they are needed.

k&r

[Phred42]

9. Katrina reprise: Becareful what you ask for.

Katrina reprise: Becareful what you ask for.

IOWA has been DROWNING for 4 DAYS...

Bush is having TEA with the QUEEN,

Condi & Cheney are MIA

McCain prayed for them - in another State

Obama went to Iowa and picked up a shovel

Republicans in Iowa have Nothing to Complain about.

It's too bad they had to take the rest down with them

:mad: :nuke:

[uppityperson]

10. IA forum says mrbush needs to declare State of Emergency for FEMA to act.

and he hasn't. asshole.

[Shoelace]

12. the "Floods2008" website - how to help, donations, etc.

I just got this off the Iowa forum and checked it out. It is a great site for those who are able to help either through volunteering, donating items they need or if you can, money. They are going to need all the help they can get and it would be good if DU could set up a donation site too?

http://www.2008flood.org/

Also, if you haven't got a clue as to what it looks like in Cedar Rapids, this video is what you should watch. Bear in mind that the water has gone down about 4 ft. You can see the watermarks. It's a tour of the neighborhoods of Cedar Rapids, the 2nd largest city in Iowa.

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/NEWS/863167855/1006/news