Neighbors along the Mississippi River were standing shoulder-to-shoulder Thursday, filling sandbags against expected record crests.
A levee protecting Canton, Mo., appeared to be holding Thursday morning after floodwaters dropped dramatically overnight.
Forecasters had predicted a flood stage just below the record height. But before sunrise, water levels had dropped well below the top of sandbag walls built by volunteers.
More than 3,330 volunteers have registered to help with flood relief efforts through the United Way. But that number represents only part of the volunteers that helped with sandbagging efforts, donations and support. About 2,000 National Guardsmen supplemented the volunteers in various communities.
Federal officials predict that as many as 30 more levees could overflow this week, leaving industrial and agricultural areas vulnerable but sparing major residential centers. So far this week, 20 levees have overflowed.
President George W. Bush on Thursday plans to inspect two of Iowa's flooded cities, where the water is receding but families and businesses are knee-deep in the disheartening aftermath.
Cedar Rapids and Iowa City will be the first Midwest stops for the president since heavy rains sent rivers surging over their banks.
Bush first will get a briefing in Cedar Rapids, which has endured its worst flooding ever. The town was submerged by the Cedar River, which crested almost 20 feet above flood stage.
The president then view the damage by helicopter on his way to visit Iowa City, a flood-damaged college town 30 miles to the southeast.
Pigs Shot To Save Levees
Luck ran out for about a dozen pigs who escaped their flooded farm only to be shot atop a levee by authorities in Des Moines County.
Officials said sheriff's deputies killed the pigs over worries that they would weaken the levee.
Onlookers said the animals were having a difficult time trying to maneuver their way off the sandbags. They said the pigs scurried back into the water as people approached.
LeRoy Lippert is chairman of the county's emergency management commission. He said the pigs needed to be removed because they could have poked holes in the levee's plastic covering and let water in.
It's already feared that as many as 30 levees could overflow this week. So far, 20 have been topped.
Flooded Fields Spark Food, Trade Concerns
Des Moines' KCCI-TV reported that the flooding in the country's top two corn-growing states is stoking fears that an already lackluster crop could be further diminished.
Cool, wet weather had already delayed planting of the crop in much of the Corn Belt and prompted concerns about the size of the harvest. Now, days of heavy rain have left many fields flooded in parts of Iowa and Illinois, leading analysts to expect already record prices to go even higher.
And the weather has farmers worried that their expectation of a banner year may be drowned out by the late spring rains.
Flooding has also brought barge traffic along the Mississippi to a halt.
The disaster left a 280-mile stretch of the major trade route between Fulton, Ill., and Winfield, Mo., closed. The span is expected to remain closed for at least another 10 days.
A trade group that represents towboat and barge operators said that up to 10 tows -- each with up to 15 barges -- are stuck on the upper part of the river.
Storms and flooding across six states this month have killed at least two dozen people, injured 148 and caused more than $1.5 billion in estimated damage in Iowa alone.
Bush has asked for nearly $2 billion in aid, but some members of Congress want more.
Related Stories: - June 18, 2008: White House Seeks $1.8B For Flood Aid
- June 18, 2008: After Floods, Shawn Johnson Heads To Trials
- June 19, 2008: Crop Insurers Brace For Pain
- June 18, 2008: White House Seeks $1.8B For Flood Aid
- June 16, 2008: Death Toll In Iowa Floods Rises To 5
- June 15, 2008: Receding Floodwaters Reveal Big Mess In Iowa
- June 14, 2008: Iowa Cities Deluged
- June 11, 2008: Flooding Forces More Iowa Evacuations
- June 9, 2008: Midwest Floods Wash Away Homes, Threaten Dams
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Uncut Video: 
No comments:
Post a Comment