4,000 homes evacuated amid flooding in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

[Sequoia]

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) -- The Cedar River poured over its banks here Thursday, forcing the evacuation of nearly 4,000 homes, causing a railroad bridge to collapse and leaving cars underwater on downtown streets.

Days of preparation couldn't hold back the rain-swollen Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday.

1 of 3 Officials estimated that 100 blocks were underwater in Cedar Rapids, where several days of preparation could not hold back the rain-swollen river. Rescuers had to use boats to reach many stranded residents, and people could be seen dragging suitcases up closed highway exit ramps to escape the water.

"We're just kind of at God's mercy right now, so hopefully people that never prayed before this, it might be a good time to start," Linn County Sheriff Don Zeller said. "We're going to need a lot of prayers, and people are going to need a lot of patience and understanding."

Days of heavy rain across the state have put nine rivers across Iowa at or above historic flood levels. Residents were steeling themselves for floods before storms late Wednesday and early Thursday brought up to 5 inches of rain across west central Iowa.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/06/12/midwest.flooding.ap/index.html

[gateley]

1. How terrifying -- be safe, Iowans! nt

[knitter4democracy]

2. Man. That's really flooded.

Time to man the boats and see who's been left behind. We don't need another Katrina.

[mnhtnbb]

3. I don't see any people stranded on roofs waiting to be rescued.

Wonder why?

[Tashca]

4. Your bottom photo

I don't recognize that....is that suppose to be Cedar Rapids??...

[Sequoia]

6. That's New Orleans after Katrina hit.

[greenbriar]

5. One of my cousins lives in Cedar Rapids I have not heard from her

this week

I pray she and her family are okay