Des Moines, Iowa, begins cleanup following historic flooding
Authorities say they anticipate a monthslong cleanup effort following historic flooding in Des Moines, Iowa, CBS affiliate KCCI-TV reports. A series of thunderstorms slammed the Des Moines metro area Saturday evening.
The flooding was fueled by 3 to 8 inches of rain that fell across the area Saturday night. Homes and businesses along Walnut Creek in the suburb of Clive had to be evacuated. Some streets remained blocked Sunday morning.
A local sportscaster, 66-year-old Larry Cotlar, died Saturday when he was swept away in floodwater after his van flooded on a north Des Moines street, police said. Cotlar had worked as the voice of Drake University's teams since 2005.
Witnesses told police that Cotlar was swept away as he got out of his stalled van. His body was found nearly four hours later, several blocks away.
Flooding is expected to continue along Walnut Creek, Fourmile Creek and Raccoon River. However, the rain threat is believed to be over and waters are beginning to recede.
Nearly 20,000 customers lost power Saturday night, according to MidAmerican Energy Company's website, but was reduced to about 40 by Sunday evening.
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said residents will be able to travel to work Monday morning. City officials are still assessing damage from the storm and said they are working to update road closures.
Some residents found time to begin recovering from the story despite soaking wet belongings and damaged basements.
"It's a nice little group here," Ankeny resident Fred Willrich told KCCI-TV. "We will help each other, too."
In the suburb of Urbandale, residents of a duplex escaped shortly before an explosion from a ruptured gas line leveled their home after the basement flooded.
"It flushed me and my wife to the point we thought we were gone. We managed to get to the ceiling and get air," Shane Rhoades told the Des Moines Register. "My wife found a window over here and we swam out, got our three children out."
The area is getting some relief. The National Weather Service predicts that Thursday will be the next chance for rain. But rivers and reservoirs in the area are already full and may continue rising in the days ahead.
The Army Corps of Engineers predicts that the reservoir that protects Des Moines from Des Moines River flooding will crest next weekend at a level above the lip of the concrete emergency spillway. Cownie said the city doesn't expect any uncontrolled flood releases from the reservoir.