An update from my post the other day when I showed you guys a little taste of what the flooding is like here in Des Moines. Here's another taste - the picture on the left is what the Simon Estes Amphitheater looked like a couple of days ago, and the picture on the right is what it looked like today.
But don't cry for us (Argentina). Cedar Rapids is looking lots worse at the moment:
Picture from the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
Reader Kat, hope you're doing OK.
P.S. - more pictures here
But don't cry for us (Argentina). Cedar Rapids is looking lots worse at the moment:
Picture from the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
Reader Kat, hope you're doing OK.
P.S. - more pictures here
btw go out and sandbag united way still needs volunteers near the birdland area.
Best wishes Iowans and please do us all a favor and just shoot the looters.
The "500 year flood plain" that was referenced is supposed to reflect the area that would be expected to flood once every 500 years. Yesterday, the levels well exceed the "500 year flood plain". The news reporters were asking whether there was such a thing as the 1,000 year flood plain ... that was at the same time that their studio entered the mandatory evacuation zone (they received an exemption).
The last record set for the Cedar river here was in 1993 at 20 feet over the "flood level". That was a record that held for 60'ish years. Yesterday, we hit 33 feet! No one expected it. Of course, a bridge collapsed full of train cars, which dammed up the river causing it to rise more quickly than the "models" forecasted.
It's all really unbelievable and depressing. On the plus side, the community is coming out in the thousands to sandbag and do anything to help each other.
the old record for flood water was around 20ft. last i checked we're at 31ft. we're also down to 25% of the water usage we normally have. tap water is still drinkable, but showers, washing cloths, flushing toilets (gross, i know) are frowned on.
there is a curfew now because of some small looting.
our shelters are getting full. several thousand people were evacuated from their homes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLtD5japDtY