2008 Woodie Awards
Iowa copes with torrential rains, historic floods
E.A. Torriero, Chicago Tribune
Issue date: 6/19/08 Section: News
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa-Officers abandoned the police station as water surrounded the headquarters. Elected officials fled City Hall that became a darkened building in the flood. Boxcars laden with rocks and sand tumbled like toy trains into the rising Cedar River when a railroad bridge gave way.
As torrential rains fell Thursday, this river city of more than 120,000 people was under siege from the skies and from the ground. The biggest flood in history was uncontrollable-as it was across much of soggy central Iowa. The Midwest was dealing with tornado watches in northern Illinois and storms across Wisconsin and Milwaukee.
By nightfall in Cedar Rapids, 3,000 families were homeless and there were reports of gunshots and car vandalism. . . . The Iowa National Guard patrolled to enforce a curfew as efforts continued to rescue trapped residents.
The Cedar River was expected to crest Friday at upwards of 25 feet. But the downpours-several inches at a time-left officials predicting the crest may not come until at least Sunday and the water will stay higher longer because of the new round of rain.
The storms were even more intense around nearby Iowa City. Facing rounds of evacuations, Iowa City saw its grim future in Cedar Rapids.
Officials predict the swelling Iowa River will continue to rise some 10 feet past flood stage and will not crest until well into next week. The University of Iowa faces the threat of devastating flooding.
"Our predictions of a 100-year flood, or greater, are really coming to pass," a somber Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey said. "The flows will continue to increase.
And residents and visitors such as Willard Miller of Ottawa, Ill., will face new problems as the waters continue to rise.
Miller traveled more than 155 miles to Iowa City for cancer treatment. He booked a room at a local inn and dropped off his clothes and medication before visiting with doctors at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
As torrential rains fell Thursday, this river city of more than 120,000 people was under siege from the skies and from the ground. The biggest flood in history was uncontrollable-as it was across much of soggy central Iowa. The Midwest was dealing with tornado watches in northern Illinois and storms across Wisconsin and Milwaukee.
By nightfall in Cedar Rapids, 3,000 families were homeless and there were reports of gunshots and car vandalism. . . . The Iowa National Guard patrolled to enforce a curfew as efforts continued to rescue trapped residents.
The Cedar River was expected to crest Friday at upwards of 25 feet. But the downpours-several inches at a time-left officials predicting the crest may not come until at least Sunday and the water will stay higher longer because of the new round of rain.
The storms were even more intense around nearby Iowa City. Facing rounds of evacuations, Iowa City saw its grim future in Cedar Rapids.
Officials predict the swelling Iowa River will continue to rise some 10 feet past flood stage and will not crest until well into next week. The University of Iowa faces the threat of devastating flooding.
"Our predictions of a 100-year flood, or greater, are really coming to pass," a somber Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey said. "The flows will continue to increase.
And residents and visitors such as Willard Miller of Ottawa, Ill., will face new problems as the waters continue to rise.
Miller traveled more than 155 miles to Iowa City for cancer treatment. He booked a room at a local inn and dropped off his clothes and medication before visiting with doctors at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
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