In Midwest, Rising Waters and Fears of Worse to Come (NYT)

[chill_wind]

River in Iowa Falls, but Misery Remains
By SUSAN SAULNY and MONICA DAVEY
Published: June 15, 2008

(...)



Water was flowing freely through the neighborhood known as Birdland by about 9:30 a.m., according to WHO television in Des Moines. The water moved into the neighborhood quickly, with city streets that 30 minutes earlier had been dry becoming inundated.


The economic costs of the devastating floods were also beginning to seep in: tourism officials, who depend on the short summers, were bracing for washed-out seasons; farmers in many states stared out at ponds that had once been their fields of beans and corn; and officials were preparing to shut down 315 miles of the Mississippi River, a crucial route for millions of tons of coal, grains and steel.

By now, one prospect — a notion no one wants to ponder but is impossible to avoid — has begun to emerge in Iowa, as well as in Indiana, Minnesota and Illinois: the possibility that this summer might prove to be something like 1993, when the torment of flooding resulted in widespread personal misery and loss, as well as economic cost of $20 billion.

(...)

Remarkably, officials have reported no flood-related deaths in this city, and only one injury — a twisted ankle. But the effects have been felt all around. Many businesses were closed. A hospital sent its 176 patients, including babies and the elderly, to other facilities. More than 15,000 people had no power. And Cedar Rapids’ water shortage remained severe, prompting officials from the chamber of commerce to issue a plea on Friday that businesses suspend heavy water use, lest the city impose mandatory restrictions.

(more at article- 2 pages):

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/us/14cnd-flood.html?hp


Iowa's raging Cedar River forces 20,000 from homes
By AMY LORENTZEN – 1 hour ago

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hw95ek5Sllmi4SoQ_N4HJvwHE0ZAD919U8D80

[Median Democrat]

1. Rush Limbaugh Denies Any Link To Global Warming

I have to give credit to Rush. Even while the flooding is ongoing, he is taking the offensive to take the heat off the GOP, which is blocking passage of a climate bill, by assuring us that global warming has nothing to do with these extreme weather conditions:

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_061308/content/01125106.guest.html

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. How does this compare to Katrina?

[madrchsod]

3. here`s a map that might answer a small bit of your question

the purple is severe flooding...those purple sqs will be moving down the Mississippi.

the flooding is far worse than katrina but the human toll is far less.

link-------http://www.weather.gov/ahps/
NOAA - National Weather Service - Water

[emmadoggy]

4. Just want to clarify that there are now a few reported deaths related to the flooding...

I don't have links right now, but KCRG reported that a woman had been found dead in her basement after family became worried about not hearing from her. A farmer checking on his fields was swept away, and I believe there was one more.