President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in Iowa following the significant flooding that occurred over the weekend. This move has allowed for federal aid to be approved to assist with recovery efforts.
According to a press release from the White House, individuals in Clay, Emmet, Lyon, Plymouth, and Sioux counties who have been affected can now access Federal funding due to the President’s actions.
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Individuals and business owners affected by the disaster can receive assistance in the form of grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs. The aim of these programs is to aid in the recovery process from the disaster.
According to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding in northwest Iowa, affecting as many as 1,900 properties, with hundreds of them completely destroyed. This natural disaster has caused significant damage and disruption to the affected areas.
In Sunday’s media briefing, Reynolds reported that Saturday alone saw 250 water rescues and over 1,000 residents had to be sheltered overnight.
Over the weekend, severe flooding occurred in some regions as they were pounded with as much as 15 inches of rainfall.
According to Reynolds, the floods of 1993 caused rivers to surge well beyond their record levels, with 16 flood gauges registering unprecedented readings.
According to the Department of Natural Resources of the state, the flooding has impacted 10 water systems and 21 wastewater systems.
On Sunday, Reynolds personally witnessed the severity and scope of the damage during an aerial tour of the affected region.
According to Reynolds, Sioux County was the recipient of an initial disaster emergency proclamation earlier in the weekend. She also directed the Iowa National Guard to establish a helicopter for rescue missions. Furthermore, Homeland’s Urban Search and Rescue teams were deployed to conduct water rescues.
On Sunday, Reynolds made a formal request for an accelerated Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. The request specifically seeks extra federal aid for nine counties, as well as public assistance for 22 counties.
According to John Benson, the Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the governor, their team is still working tirelessly as the situation is far from over. Benson stated that the forecast predicts more rain this week, and the river gauges in the Missouri River are rapidly increasing.
Reynolds had previously mentioned that the continuous rainfall could lead to persistent flooding, causing adverse effects on various regions of the state.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for several regions including northwest Iowa, west central Iowa, southwest Minnesota, northeast Nebraska, central South Dakota, east central South Dakota, south-central South Dakota, and southeast South Dakota.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the streams, creeks, and rivers are currently experiencing a moderate to major flood stage, which has resulted in the ongoing closure of roads.
