US Midwest braced for more flooding
Pastor Dale Morgan
*US Midwest braced for more flooding*
People along the Mississippi river in the US state of Iowa are preparing
for flooding after thousands were forced from their homes in
neighbouring areas.
With record water levels predicted in the coming days, the authorities
have been reinforcing levees with sandbags to stop the river bursting
its banks.
Earlier, two more deaths were reported, bringing the regional total to
seven.
The flooding has also ruined crops of corn, the price of which hit a
record high of $8 (£4) a bushel on Monday.
Iowa is the biggest corn producer in the US and the floods have
devastated large areas of farmland at a time of rising food prices.
'Precautionary steps'
Hundreds of National Guard troops and volunteers worked throughout
Monday to reinforce levees along the Mississippi in low-lying parts of
Iowa as officials predicted the river would rise above the record level
set in 1993.
We are taking precautionary steps, we are evacuating where
necessary-Iowa Governor Chet Culver
Swamped by the flood
Sandbags were used in Burlington, a key rail hub, to protect it from the
river. In Keokuk, efforts were also made to protect the city's water supply.
"It's likely that we will see major and serious flooding in the
south-east", Iowa Governor Chet Culver said.
"We are taking precautionary steps, we are evacuating where necessary,
but that is going to be the next round here."
More than 38,000 residents in 26 communities throughout the state had
been evacuated by Monday morning.
Some 25,000 were from Cedar Rapids, one of the worst affected areas
where 438 streets were submerged in the past four days. The cost of the
damage in the city alone has been estimated at $737m (£380m).
Oakville residents watch the Iowa River swamp their homes (16 June 2008)
Miles of sandbag barriers were unable to contain the Iowa river at Oakville
In western Illinois, National Guard troops hoped to fill about 500,000
sandbags to fortify levees along a 15-mile stretch of the Mississippi
near the city of Quincy.
Flood waters have meanwhile began to recede in western Michigan after
the Iowa river peaked earlier and lower than expected, possibly because
of a number of earlier levee breaches downstream, the National Weather
Service said.
Emergency officials have advised people not to drink or swim in any
remaining water, saying it might be contaminated by sewage, farm
chemicals, refuse or dead animals.
Earlier, the American Red Cross said its disaster relief fund had been
completely spent and that it was being forced to borrow money to help
flood victims.
President George W Bush will visit the region on Thursday to inspect
some of the flood damage.