Eastern Iowa is an utter Fn disaster. The 2nd largest city in the state, Cedar Rapids, and its main business area, a major cog of the city and Iowa’s economy is in ruin. It could be at least weeks before the water will go down.
Cedar Rapids(CR)is in Katrina like conditions(for a twisted analogy, the majority of the homes under water are lived in by poor white people)and maybe a worse disaster than New Orleans because the water flow of the river’s force is unstoppable. It keeps going and going. Taking Sewage, trucks, bridges, debris, oil, gas with it at very swift pace.
As of now 400-500K population is directly affected and whole major communities down river are still in peril. Part of my college’s campus, U of Iowa, is about to be destroyed in the upcoming days. The water everywhere will crest about 20 feet higher than what is officially measured a FLOOD! This is without any more rain.
Corn prices are already tripling with flooded fertile farmland now deep swamps and the environmental effects could be permanent. There is no end in sight.
I do not want to talk about how 500K troops should be in Iowa right now, instead of double that in these military bases all over the world. It fires me up.
So FEMA to the rescue? Os does Chertoff save the day?
Those were jokes just like our federal govt really protecting the homeland with all the tax money we give them in boondoggle “defense” spending.
Pictures of CR’s tragedy of epic proportions. http://www.flickr.com/photos/buckcash/sets/72157605603288441/with/2576282275/
Recap and more pictures from a post on my blog.
http://digg.com/world_news/Extreme_Flooding_in_Eastern_Iowa_U_of_Iowa_campus_in_Peril
ps. A great kid I knew well in college died at the age of 30 last year with a rare disease and he was from CR. In some Fd up way, it might be better that never saw the hometown that he loved so proudly in this sad state.
You will always be my dog Roby. CR Stylee Forever!
Break the levees. Levees make the river higher. If the levees were broken, the river would spread out and go on to farm fields.
I can only hope that local and state officials know what they are doing in disaster preparedness-we know the federal response is going to be pretty much a disaster in itself.
Quite the contrast to what happened in Mexico in Nov. of 2007. After a week or more of heavy rains the state of Tabasco had their damn burst or the water was diverted flooding literally a land area the size of Maryland-almost a million peoples homes/businesses were under water.(I think much of this was farmland also) Because the government had been monitoring the area, they had plans in place and people on call in case the worst happened. Including their president there on the ground and canceling his out of country trip(has bush even commented on what has happened here and in other places where flooding has recently occurred?)So what happened. Well I think I read that out of that over a million people displaced and fleeing the flood less than 15 died, almost no looting, medical people were there to give shots against water born diseases to everyone and so on. Rescue efforts off rooftops were done in timely manner and they had I think over 11,000 military people in planes/boats etc to help with the rescues.(and getting dead animals out of the water)
After a less than a year with 850 towns that were under water almost all are doing ok-well ok as can be expected-have been rebuilt as has some 10,000 businesses that were under water. All debris has been cleared and all roads are drivable.
Mexico was given an A+ response by various world agencies. Over a million people displaced and less than a year later things are almost back to ‘normal’ for most people
The stark contrast there and to what is still not happening in New Orleans and no doubt with new flooding here in U.S. is pretty unbelievable.
I’m saying! Why is Shrub still overseas? I guess if it doesn’t involve bombing Iran, then he can’t be bothered.
And why does it seem we never plan for ANYTHING?
I’m not even going to let my blood pressure rise by asking stupid questions, esp. about the sorry federal response. Let shrub cavort with President Bling-Bling or suck up to Queen Liz or whatever it is he’s doing. We’ve got work to do.
Mac G, thank you so much for your diary. I just can’t believe my eyes…well, maybe I can.
Really, the difference couldn’t be starker this election year.
That wanting a merely competent government is seen as almost radical is just one more sign of the sorry way we’re in.
Hey AP…yeah having tea with the Queen is more important I guess. You’d think he would have at least made the appearance of caring about what is happening here. Of course if he did show up, what would he do..say someone is doing a ‘heck of a job’ and take off…
Thanks for the kind words AP. Our dear leader is still on it while the eastern part of the Hawkeye state is a swamp.
I wonder if Bush was “briefed” about the town of Columbus Junction, Iowa sacrificing itself and national guardsmen help so another city down the river could be saved.
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080614/NEWS/775257589
Our government can not muster up more than 400 troops to save a water plant of a community IN America but they are able to bomb any country instantly and launch ground invasions.
Good news is that Iowa river might have crested and more major flood damage to Iowa City might be averted.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/NEWS/80615011
No kidding. I clicked through to your blog, and oh my God, I was close to tears. The videos weren’t available, but the pictures say it all.
Please keep us updated. Your diary keeps me more updated than the news, it seems.