Several days of relentless rain led to historic and deadly floods across the Midwest United States.
From June 21 to 24, torrential rains across the region resulted in record-high river levels, significant property damage, and evacuations.
Flooding in Iowa surpassed the record set in 1993, prompting a state of emergency declaration. On June 22 alone, rescuers conducted 250 water rescues. The floods damaged over 1,900 properties, with hundreds completely destroyed. Governor Reynolds described the situation as "staggering," with many towns left without electricity, water, or sewage services, and hospitals and nursing homes evacuated. Disaster declarations covered 25 counties, with 16 locations along state rivers breaking flood records.
Rock Valley, a town of 4,000 in northwest Iowa, suffered severely. Intense rainfall caused a levee breach along the Rock River early Saturday morning, prompting urgent evacuations. The Rock River reached a historic level of 27.64 feet, nearly 5 feet above the previous record. City authorities even activated tornado sirens to warn residents of the dangerous situation. At least two bridges and roads were washed away.
Spencer, a city of over 11,000 residents, became isolated by floodwaters. Hundreds were evacuated to two city shelters.
On Tuesday, another Iowa town, Rodney in Monona County, was evacuated. The sheriff warned people to stay away from the area. Multiple breaches in levees occurred along the Little Sioux River, necessitating immediate evacuations for residents along its banks.
In O'Brien County, several water rescues were conducted. Near Alvord in Lyon County, a train derailed as nine cars were swept away by the floodwaters.
Southern Minnesota communities were also affected by the flooding. Governor Tim Walz declared a state of emergency on June 22. Waterville, one of the hardest-hit areas, received up to 18 inches of rain, causing severe flooding.
Residents downstream from the Rapidan Dam near Mankato were evacuated after the Blue Earth River overflow partially breached the dam, leading to the collapse of a power station.
In South Dakota, numerous rivers also broke previous water level records. The governor remarked, "This is probably the first time we've seen rains come this fast." The National Weather Service reported that Sioux Falls and Mitchell experienced the wettest two-day periods on record on Thursday and Friday.
In North Sioux City, several homes were destroyed on Sunday evening. By Monday, the city was covered in a thick layer of muddy brown water. Officials credited pre-emptive efforts to raise levees near the city for preventing even worse damage, potentially saving much of North Sioux City from being submerged.
According to SiouxlandProud, a railroad bridge between North Sioux City and Riverside partially collapsed late Sunday evening due to flooding. The disaster claimed the lives of two individuals in South Dakota and Iowa.
The pace of increase in the number and intensity of catastrophes on the planet significantly exceeds all scientists' forecasts. And there is no reason to believe they will suddenly stop on their own.
Many scientists understand that there is a certain Factor X, which most traditional climate models do not account for. Yet, it is precisely this factor that is the main cause of such catastrophic changes on the planet.
What is this factor? What can we do to prevent natural disasters from completely destroying our world and making life on Earth impossible? Find the answers in the "Global Crisis. The Responsibility" forum.