USA in the grip of heat and torrential rain: flooding and evacuations, Iowa underwater

The rains incessant of recent weeks have forced the inhabitants of some areas ofIowa to abandon their homes, while most of the States United continues to face an exceptional heat wave. The sirens woke up the population at 2 am Rock Valley, a town of 4,200, where hundreds of residents were evacuated due to the Rock River flooding. The city now finds itself without running water as the wells are unusable.

Mayor Kevin Van Otterloo said a state helicopter was ready to respond, but was called back when boats were able to reach the trapped residents. “We’ve had so much rain,” he has declared . “Last night we had 10cm in an hour and a half. Our soil can no longer absorb water“.

The governor Kim Reynolds declared a state of emergency for 21 Northern Iowa counties, including Sioux County, which includes Rock Valley. Also the South Dakota was hit by heavy rains, pushing the governor Kristi Noem to declare a state of emergency. The town of Canton, located 30 miles south/east of Sioux Falls, received 18 inches of rain. Several stretches of highways were closed, including a major stretch of Interstate 29 south of Sioux Falls, which only later reopened. Sioux Falls, the state’s largest city, received over 7 inches of rain in 3 days. “Even though the rain is easing, we must remain vigilant,” said Noem. “The worst of the flooding along our rivers will be on Monday and Tuesday“.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the suffocating grip of heat and of thehumidity continues. The National Weather Service issued maximum-level warnings for about 15 million people. In Washington, DC, and Richmond, Virginia, temperatures around +37.8°C are expected, while Philadelphia, Newark, Columbus and Detroit are preparing for temperatures close to +37°C.