Cedar Rapids Remains a City Under Water


PlusCedar Rapids Remains a City Under WaterCedar Rapids Remains a City Under WaterThe Associated PressThe view from above says it all, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is drenched and it may be weeks or months until it dries out completely. (June 14)THE WATER MAY BE ON IT'S WAY DOWN BUT THE SIGHT OF CEDAR RAPIDS FROM THE AIR IS STILL BREATHTAKING AND OVERWHELMING..IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY 20,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED FROM THE AREA... MORE THAN 400 CITY BLOCKS ARE STILL UNDERWATER AFTER THE CEDAR RIVER CRESTED FRIDAY AT 32 FEET, 12 FEET HIGHER THAN THE PREVIOUS RECORD..PRELIMINARY DAMAGES ARE SET AT 737 MILLION DOLLARS FOR CEDAR RAPIDS ALONE, AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN FLOODED ACROSS THE STATE..IN DOWNTOWN CEDAR RAPIDS MASSIVE HIGH RISE BUILDINGS ARE STILL BURIED UNDERWATER, THEIR BASEMENTS AND FIRST FLOORS DESTROYED.. THE CITIES INFRASTRUCTURE BADLY DAMAGED AS WELL, THIS RAILROAD BRIDGE NOW LIES TWISTED AND BROKEN ACROSS THE RIVER, ANOTHER FACING INCREDIBLE STRESS AS THE WATER AND DOZENS OF HOUSEBOATS THAT BROKE FREE FROM UPRIVER CRASH INTO IT....NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE RIVERBANK THAT TYPICALLY DON'T FLOOD ARE ALSO COVERED WITH ONLY ROOFTOPS SHOWING.. SOME SAY IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE HURRICANE KATRINA BUT THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. THERE ARE NO PEOPLE HERE.. THE WATER ROSE SLOWLY OVER SEVERAL DAYS, AND ALMOST EVERYONE HAD TIME TO PLAN AN ESCAPE... FIREFIGHTERS STILL RESCUED SOME STRAGGLERS, BUT IT WASN'T THE MASSIVE EFFORT OF KATRINA.. THAT'S A GOOD THING TOO, BECAUSE THIS IS THE CEDAR RAPIDS FIRE DEPARTMENT...WHILE THE WATER IS RECEDING EXPERTS SAY IT WILL BE A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE WATER IS BELOW FLOOD STAGE... AND IT COULD BE MONTHS BEFORE THE ENTIRE AREA IS CLEANED UP, YEARS BEFORE IT'S ALL REBUILT.RICH MATTHEWS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OVER CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA...







Channel: News
Uploaded: June 14, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Author: AssociatedPress

Length: 00:01:40
Rating: 4.81
Views: 25662

Tags: rapids water severe weather remains cedar city

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Video Comments:
Wisher182 (August 23, 2008 at 12:42 pm)
I wish the Jonas Brothers would come to town and do a donation concert. I'm such a big fan, and they would get honored for that.
hazelmarucut (August 5, 2008 at 3:06 am)
this is not what I wanted to watch I really want to watch the underwater city of babylon I don't know if it does exists because when I was researching a witness diver found a city underwater and when he told it to the government when they look at it underwater its gone!!!!{I'm so so so so curious!!!}
ghost1244 (July 31, 2008 at 10:24 pm)
I would just like to say, that unless you lived in Cedar Rapids during the flood, you have no room to be talking, nor does anyone not living in New Orleans have room to talk about Katrina. I was out sandbagging while the water was rising and I could not believe how quick the water came up to my feet after it had started about 10 feet away from me. People were warned both about this flood and Katrina, both given plenty of time to leave. What a dumb argument.
amerakita (July 25, 2008 at 5:49 pm)
we are under attack!

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