Thousands Flee Rising Waters In Iowa, Ill.

Breaking Levees Flood Des Moines, Western Ill.; Streets In Cedar Rapids May Be Underwater For Two Weeks

(CBS/ AP)  Days after it rose out of its banks on its way to record flooding in Cedar Rapids, the Cedar River has forced at least 24,000 people from their homes, emergency officials said Saturday.

The bleak news came as swollen rivers breached levees in the state capital, Des Moines, and in far western Illinois, leading to the evacuation of hundreds more homes.

Officials guess it will be four days before the Cedar River drops enough for workers to even begin pumping out water that has submerged at least 438 blocks, threatened the Cedar Rapids drinking water supply and forced the evacuation of a downtown hospital.

"We're estimating at least a couple of weeks before the flood levels get down right around flood stage and below," said Dustin Hinrichs of the Linn County emergency operations center.

The Cedar River crested Friday night at nearly 32 feet, 12 feet higher than the old record set in 1929. By Saturday morning the river level had dropped more than 2 feet and was continuing to fall about 2 inches an hour.

Officials increased their estimate of residents forced from their homes to 24,000, a figure based on the belief that at least 3,900 homes had been evacuated. Cedar Rapids has a population of about 120,000.

"It's a bit overwhelming ... " said the city's mayor pro-tem, Brian Fagan. "This is an endurance competition. We have to be patient. We have to be cooperative."

Even as the river slowly recedes, Cedar Rapids officials worried that the city's supply of fresh drinking water would run out.

Cedar Rapids has only one of 44 wells working, Fire Department spokesman Dave Koch told The Early Show. "Forty-three of them are under water and not working. We're only producing 25% of the water that we need. Unfortunately, we're still using more water than we're producing. So we're still asking residents, businesses and industry to severely cut back on water use."

The sole working well was being protected by sandbags and pumps powered by generators. Crews hoped to gain access to flooded wells Saturday to see if they could make repairs to get them back online.

But with every passing hour, the city's drinkable water level dropped as residents used more water than the well and supplemental sources from nearby towns could provide.

"We will deplete our supply in three to four days unless we get further reduction in use," said Pat Ball, the city's utilities director.

CBS News correspondent Hari Sreenivasan said it is expected to be four days before the streets of Cedar Rapids are visible again.

"It won't be until June 18 that we will be below what was predicted to be the crest, which what was the previous record," Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran told the CBS Early Show.

On Friday the full scope of the damage was becoming clear. At least 438 city blocks were under water, hospital patients in wheelchairs and stretchers were evacuated in the middle of the night, and officials said as many as 10,000 townspeople had been driven from their homes in this city of 120,000.

Sreenivasan reported on a new ferry service in southwest Cedar Rapids, where the tree-lined streets are now waterways. Boater Tony Iaillo helps homeowners salvage what they can.

"All my stuff's going to be ruined," one flood victim said. "My whole life."

Iaillo helps a woman retrieve her medication.

Some ignore the warnings of the filth and danger in the water and plow through anyway to recover what's most important to them - like one who rescued his pets. "We ain't going to let our dogs die," he said.

Preliminary damage estimates in Cedar Rapids reached $737 million, and city officials foresee a long recovery.

Just south of Cedar Rapids, in Iowa City, the Iowa River had caused major damage by Saturday even though the crest was at least two days away. The river is expected to reach 33 feet to 34 feet late Monday or early Tuesday, far above the 25-foot flood stage.

[hawksprings]

Will someone tell Algore that we really need some Global Warming to stop all this rain?
This is ridiculous.

[frankbowers]

My heart goes out to each and every one who lost anythkinbg regardless of how small it may have been. I will like to say my heart went out to the folks in New Orleans as well, it is just they seem to thing they do not need to ever find work and living off the dole of the nation is okay as long as we put up with it. The people in Iowa will be back and stronger than ever when the water leaves. Frank Bowers

[frankbowers]

I am from Louisian graduated in 1955 on May 16 (Leesville, Vernon Parish, Home of Camp Polk, La.) and left there in 1955 I knocked the rear view mirrors off the old ''51 chev when I went to Shreveport to enlist in the US Army ( the chevy is still parked there where I took the oath as they told me I could not take it with me and no one would buy it.) so please believe me when I make the following statement which I am not proud to have to say or make.

About 3 years back New Orleans was flooded and to this day there is several hundred thousand still living in and on the dole of the rest of us.
Lets see how long the folks in Iowa get back on their feet. I bet the illegals are already packed, sacked and on their way back to home where ever that might be. The other crackers or whities will be back in their homes within 2 or 3 weeks and no more than a month, they TOO WILL HAVE PLEANTY OF WORK REBUILDING THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THE ILLEGALS WILL NOT HAVE TO DO IT FOR THEM, some one please inform me as to why the folks down in New Orleans are still in trailers; bought and are now being paid for by me and the rest of the nation and them people still have no place to go, NO JOB GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM THEY DON''T PAY 10$ AN HOUR AND THAT IS WHAT THEY GET SETTING AT HOME ON THEIR DUFFS AND DRINK THE PABST BEER OF NEW ORLEANS, has any one heard of the circle of welfare, just look at it, it is a great big circle down there.
The best of goopd byes Frnak Bowers of Austin, TX

[asw1357]

It''s just amazing how many people think this situation has to be anyone''s fault. Exactly how do we prevent rain?

[akpals]

I live in Northern Iowa, where we have had some major flooding lately, but nothing compared to what they are having to the south and the east. I wanted to say thanks to all those who have posted encouragement. To those going on and on about Katrina and the government, this situation can''t even be compared to that. It''s just like two different worlds. So far all I have seen here is ***** and elbows from people working to clean up and help out. That''s just how we roll around here. I am not trying to put Katrina survivors down, just stating fact. I personally haven''t heard any complaining in the sandbagging lines about who is responsible, or who''s gonna pay for the rebuilding, maybe that will start eventually. For now we''re just trying to take it one day at a time. Why this Iowa vs. New Orleans even got started I don''t know. Why put Iowans down? What''s the point?

[denn034]

My posting on the Iowa floods yesterday was insensitive and uncaring and I feel the need to profusely apologize for that. Condolences to all concerned in Iowa.

[gisdude]

www.freeflood.com is a good place to find out if your home is in a flood zone.

[l8c6]

pretty much your argument is bullsh*t covered with eloquent words..pretty much like liberal obama

Posted by libsluv2spit

Amazing how key words that don''t support the privatization of a commons and turning governance into the hands of a few who will not be subject to due process nor democratic elections and your right wing fascists bullying put downs are keys into gear.

Proof, the right wing is anti-american. They have attempted to steel the cross and the flag but all good people know these pigs are the antithesis of Christ and the founding principles of the United States. What''s the next sentence out of these twits brainwashed heads? --- "you need to read the federalist papers" Right wing neo cons republicon conservative with everyone but themselves are the original bull and bush sh*it.

Eloquent words offend the ignorant.

[soshljustic]

The cyclical human experience requires the unfolding of worldview readings over the recent calamities on a global scale. The chinese year of the boar last year was to have included massive calamity. It occured in the year of the rat. Biblical followers are hailing the calamities as proof of the "end" so true to their preference to envision a "wrath" of their unholy "God" rather than any mark of mankind. Ecologists are using it in their arsenal as proof of mankinds self-destructive force against the globe when seeding these calamities by burning fossilfuels and other industrial pollutants---Is there any way everyone may finally come together on these global disruptions of life and limb, of human destruction, and help each other, recognizing only one truth? Only we can help each other and are ultimately responsible for one another, because what goes around, comes around.

[prairiefox1]

it is a confederate conspiracy! enjoy d.a.m.n.e.d. yankees!

[l8c6]

It''''s always somebody else''''s fault. Own up to your irresponsibility and make changes to help yourselves instead of blaming others! Everyone else does-what makes you so special?

Posted by sugarpieGA

The right wing republican rhetoric is so entrenched in so many. At face value there is some truth in what you say but not to point of being willing to allow public governance which represents a broad spectrum of constituents to be phased out. Privatize the government and you will be at the mercy of something far worse than our current government.

[fishinfool43]

while you are at it grab me a big ol catfish, seein as we cant grab them here

[downsteamjim]

To FF43: Thanks, I''ll throw back a keeper for you.

[fishinfool43]

Good luck downsteamjim, may all the big ones be yours!!! My last post said Cedar Rapids, when it should have said Cedar Falls

[downsteamjim]

To FF43: It''s been fun posting with you. All this fishing talk is getting to me. I guess I''ll have to do some freshwater fishing. Bream, bass, and my favorite crappie/white perch [locally called sac a lait]. La. will be okay, just hope there are no more levee breaks in Iowa etc.

[fishinfool43]

Well folks, here''s some breaking news: Severe thunderstorm warning has just been issued, and guess where its heading..... Cedar Rapids area. Looks like it can be another long week :-(

[sugarpiega]

The people in N.O. were told to leave. They didn''t. But they blame the racist government for their poor choices.
Same with mortgage crisis. Go buy $200 hair weaves and $2000 rims instead of paying your mortgage.
Blame racist government for poor choices that resulted in your home''s foreclosure.
Bad, bad racist government! Why you do these people this way?
Expect more of the same "excuses" if Obama gets elected-we''ll be taxed to death because of these poor choices! Wake up, Obama worshippers! You think times are bad now? Responsible,hard working people that pay their bills will not vote Obama in 2008!
Slavery is alive and well in America-the only difference is big government is the "massuh" now. You can''t/won''t make it on your own, can you? It''s always somebody else''s fault. Own up to your irresponsibility and make changes to help yourselves instead of blaming others! Everyone else does-what makes you so special?

[fishinfool43]

Jim
That was one of my fears when Katrina hit. I truly believe that was the biggest test that rigs were not posing any danger to the environment, and I believe we as a country need to start more drilling on our own ground to get away from foreign oil. Believe me I am all about a clean environment. I also prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. That was evident with all those rigs getting rearranged naturally.

[downsteamjim]

To FF43: In most states it''s illegal to drill offshore. During Katrina and Rita lots of rigs of La. were torn up without oil spills. For fishing purposes, rigs give lots of structure to fish around. If you haven''t done it you need to offshore at least once. Rigs also serve as rest spots for migrating cross Gulf birds. Sometimes they land in the boat with you, rest, then fly on. Energy independence and environment can get along.

[sugarpiega]

The difference between New Orleans and Iowa has a lot to do with the local and state government corruption and incompetence. The bottom line is that corruption in New Orleans was/is prevelant. The city has endured through the years providing shipping and close to oil field refineries and off shore rigs. The welfare system has been alive and well for years, the police department is believed to be corrupt and obviously something wrong where officers "abandoned" their posts during time of crisis. The NFL/NBA security people warn their players not to go out into the night life much as the fear of carjackings, robberies, murders are ever present ( and believe me I have first hand knowledge of this warning to the players). The city has made it''''s living off of being a "party place" where practically anything goes. the city is below sea level which allowed building to be poorly planned and obviously if a lot of the city residents were warned to get out and were too stupid to remove themselves then nobody is to blame more than the locals. Quit trying to shame the whole country, Bush administration and concentrate of fixing your own political problems and community problems first. Americans give more than anyone else but some people need to start working and making something happen on their own instead of whining. If whoever doesn''''t want Iowans to give then feel free to move back to Louisiana
posted by okcnfrcr

Amen! Couldn''t have said it better!