The flooding continues in Iowa, with record levels continuing to rise. The latest victims of the severe storms that have rocked much of the state…the Valley Hill Trailer Park in Sageville.
Located just north of Dubuque, where most of the flood damage has occurred, the trailer park saw the destruction of more than seventeen homes under six feet of water, and another forty homes suffering severe water damage.
Many residents see their plight as a disaster that has gone largely unnoticed, namely due to the fact that it is a trailer park as opposed to a more upscale neighborhood. Families living in the community report that they have seen very little in the way of assistance from either county or city officials as of Monday, although other charitable institutions such as the Salvation Army have provided some assistance and relief efforts for those displaced by flood waters.
The seventeen homes that were destroyed were located next to Heritage Pond, located behind the mobile home park. Several cars in the community were also destroyed in the rising water. Front lawns are now strewn with water damage furniture waiting to be picked up and taken away.
For the homes that survived, the picture isn’t much better. Interiors are filled with mud, dirt, sludge, and debris, and mold is rapidly appearing in many of the interior environments. Carpets are all but ruined, and no doubt many more trailers will be total losses before the situation is resolved.
Stories abound of residents looking out for each other, with some taking out in small boats to rescue people from their homes, as well as picking up pets left stranded by rising water levels. Some residents have places to go, family to stay with, until they determine if they are going to receive any sort of local or federal aid.
Dubuque has come under fire in recent days for its handling of the flooding, with many residents saying the evacuation order was never clearly communicated, with many residents sleeping through the night while water levels rose around them. Waking up to near disaster conditions, with no warning sirens, folks found themselves having to evacuate under extremely dangerous conditions.
Mayor George Young went on record saying, “we were kind of concerned if we sounded the tornado siren, they everybody would head to the basement in a rush.”
East Dubuque leaders say they did the best they could in a unique situation. Normally it would ask for help from surrounding cities.
Fire Chief Joe Heim said, “unfortunately this event was a natural disaster that all those departments had to turn us down because they had issues in their own jurisdiction.”
City leaders say they’re already working on a new disaster plan, as well as hoping for a federal disaster declaration to render much needed aid to area flood victims.
Volunteers have set up a flood victim distribution center at the old library in East Dubuque. They are collecting clothes, appliances, and money for the flood victims.
The situation in Iowa underscores the need for every home to have access to quality, professional, flood damage and water restoration services. Water Damage Local.com is a nationwide network of water restoration providers, available 24/7, and able to handle any and all flood damage or other water related problems. Contact the professionals at Water Damage Local.com before your property becomes a statistic.
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