Helpless

I can't find Grandpa Herman and Grandma Ruby, but their house is in the evacuation area. The same is true for my aunt, uncle, and cousins. Our water is now contaminated, coming out brown from the taps. We've gathered together our emergency items at home. MustangMan and our older gents are helping with evacuations and sandbagging. I'm here with the smaller gents, feeling so helpless.

We're hoping for the best, and preparing for the worst.

From the website of the local paper:

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:21 AM CDT

Waterloo area ordered evacuated; lift stations can't keep up

WATERLOO --- Waterloo Mayor Tim Hurley has declared an immediate mandatory evacuation in the area bounded by the following streets: From West Sixth Street to West 18th Street and from the Cedar River to Jefferson Street.

Residents and businesses should leave immediately.

People affected are reminded to bring medications, medical assistant devices, important documents and a change of clothes.

An evacuation center is open at the McLeod Center on the UNI campus. The center is for initial processing for long term and immediate needs.A Red Cross shelter remains open at the UNI West Gym off Hudson Road in Cedar Falls.The evacuation is necessary because the city's lift stations in the area are not keeping up with ground water runoff. This is not due to levee breaches or river water.Homes and buildings in this area are in imminent danger of flooding and the strong possibility of isolating people from getting out.

The sandbagging operations at the Street Department will be relocated to the Iowa Department of Transportation Maintenance Shed on West Ridgeway Avenue and Highway 63.