Posted on 06/13/2008 11:08:55 AM PDT by hawkeye101
DES MOINES — Officials on Friday issued a voluntary evacuation order for much of downtown Des Moines and other areas bordering the river.
Officials recommended that downtown residents and businesses evacuate parts of downtown on either side of the Des Moines River by 6 p.m. Friday. Included are all areas in Des Moines' 500 year floodplain.
The alert was prompted by rising river levels expected to peak at 8 p.m. Friday.
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said they are asking for the evacuations "to err on the side of citizens and residents."
The evacuation should begin immediately, Cownie said, and be completed by 6 p.m.
Even as officials called for people to leave downtown, Cownie said residents should remain calm.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I disagree strongly. The flood waters are 1-2 miles from my house in either direction. I've had to evacuate my office on campus and watch while young people and the national guard fill sandbags.
They do so with a good will, with smiles, with courage and this is happening all over Iowa.
While people may be displaced and have to find temporary homes in a FEMA trailer, I sincerely doubt that these wonderful, self-reliant Iowans will be in those trailers in 6 months, much less 3 years.
Hmmmm... I think that is what the poster meant.
Anyway, I used to live there (went to Norwalk HS), and am wondering if SE 1st Street is what we used to call Army Post Road. I am trying to get my bearings on the map posted above.
Oops. Just looked at the next map down, and figured it out.
Yes.
Unfortunately Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie thought it was necessary to bring this up at the most recent 3:00 press conference today.
He is a big supporter of cities being involved in things to stop global warming.
I know!
We have a branch office in CR. Up’ til 6 months ago, they were located on the 1st floor of a bank building in downtown CR. Then they moved up to 5th floor.
I was down there for a long weekend last spring. A nice town city where people seemed to care about their homes and schools.
The downtown was a little run-down but mostly because it was so old and not so much due to the residents abusing it. But they were working on fixing it up and were condo-izing parts of the east side of the downtown.
I was amazed to look at the pictures and see that the very places I walked and stood were now 5-20 feet under water.
How awful!
Yes, she should be fine as far as the river flooding. You may consider sending her a sump pump. If she is in one of the low areas over there, she definitely has potential for basement issues. I live on high ground and my sump pump still kicks on every 5 minutes. The ground is so soaked.
We made alot of improvements down here after ‘93 along the river. Let’s hope they hold. The Mississippi takes a long time to get going down here, but when it does it will chew things up for a several hundred mile long stretch.
I’m worried about south into Missouri and Tennessee with the drainage from rivers like the Illinois and Ohio who’ve also collected from heavy rains in their watershed. They are predicting 15’+ over flood at Hannibal, MO and Clarksville, MO.
Trailers? I doubt there will even be trailers. Most will stay with family.
heh—I’m scheduled to fly into there on Sunday
But I am curious. Where is the wall to wall news coverage of this event??? I turned on CNN...they are covering R. Kelly. Fox is covering Tim Russert.
I watched the “Katrina Show” for weeks (or so it seemed).
This is equally as tragic. But no news coverage. Go figure.
Paging Spike Lee. Spike Lee, please step to the courtesy phone.
Funny thing.
Two years ago, we were supposed to be in a decades long drought from global warming.
Now we are in a 500 year flood because of it.
Might as well blame the Easter Bunny.
Davenport has street closings, and we are in trouble in a number of places.
The crest of the Iowa and Cedar rivers will hit the Mississippi river later this week.
I was just watching some of the coverage on FOX and was startled to learn this is a 500 year flood. Also, the numbers of houses damaged or destroyed, the crops gone and the thousands and thousands of “homeless”.
What I also noticed, is no reports of mass looting, no reports of people demanding the government fix this disaster and no one blaming anyone for anything. I saw dozens of young men pitching in and VOLUNTEERING to help their communities in any way necessary.
So- what am I missing here? Why isn’t the media covering this the way Katrina was covered?
I really would like a big screen TV. Do you think I could go volunteer and carry one out on my back? Maybe I can find a shopping cart somewhere.
There is extreme concern about a small town named Columbus Junction where the Cedar River meets the Iowa River. His unit was heading to Columbus Junction when they were sent on to Burlington.
He is a big supporter of cities being involved in things to stop global warming.
Doofus. We've had below normal temps here all year and it's still below normal. In addition to flooding, the crops could use sunshine and thermal units.
We have a nice motor home someone could use—it’s complete with washer and dryer but I know no one who needs it.
BTW, I also stood up with Fred and IIRC he won our county. If he didn’t win, he was second.
Except their looks like Martin Luter King Jr. Pkwy...
Appears to be under water too.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.