USA NOW! Deadly Floods, Record Rainfall Across the Midwest

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 feet, nearly 5 feet