IAM District 6, Local 831 in Cedar Rapids, IA is still assessing the flood damage our members have experienced following devastating floods there over the last week or so. Just driving through Iowa it's hard to miss the damage and high water remains in many places. It may not be over yet as more storms are predicted for this week and the coming weekend.
Flood and debris take out railroad bridge in Cedar Rapids
(more photos below)
According to IAM Local 831, our members at Weyerhauser and Quaker Oats were flooded out of there workplace. In addtion, Cedar Rapids Inc. / Terex was without power for some time.
In Cedar Rapids, Iowas second largest city of 120,000 people, the fire department esitmates that 9.2 square miles or 1,300 city blocks were flooded before the water began to recede. Water was 10 feet deep in some places flooding buildings up to the second story. There is significant damage to homes and businesses in Cedar Rapids. Some 24,000 people were displaced by the high water. This years flood level was 32 feet or 12 feet higher than the old record set in 1929.
It appears that Iowa may be the hardest hit. The Cedar River flooded through Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. Then it merges with the Iowa River which flooded Iowa City. The Des Moines River flooded parts of Des Moines as well. At the end of last week flood waters were still clearly visable fromt Interstate 80 as you passed through Iowa City.
Iowa storms have moved the governor to issue disaster proclamations in 83 or the states 99 counties.
This winters snow fall and relentlous spring storms including some tornados delivered a one-two punch to most of the Midwest.
Lake Delton in Wisconsin drained when the river that supports the lake went around the damn emptying the lake. Boats are now strewn around the bottom of the lake. It will take years to repair. Heavy flooding all over Wisconsin was reported.
The Mississippi River also topped and broke through levies in Illinois and Missouri between the Quad Cities and Quincy, IL and then again between Quincy, IL and St. Louis, MO.
Indiana endured heavy flooding also. In fact, at one time last week, Interstates 39, 80, 90 and 94 were closed because of water on the roads. Numerous state roads were flooded all over the Midwest. One had to look at the respective state Department of Transportation closure lists to see what roads were open and where the detours were when travelling.
