KDSN RADIO News
Rebuilding is long process after spring flooding in NW Iowa
More than three months after historic flooding hit northwest Iowa, residents in one community still need help — and they’re getting it.
When the Little Sioux River hit record levels, half of Correctionville’s 300 houses ended up with some damage, including Mayor Ken Bauer’s home.
“It was a nightmare,” Bauer says. “For three days, they kept saying, well, it will only get to here, it’ll only get to here, and it kept going, and it kept going.”
Bauer says his town pulled together for the clean-up that took about a month. The focus on recovery continues, as FEMA and non-profits met Tuesday with residents who are still trying to repair their properties and lives.
Woodbury County Emergency Management Director Michael Montino says he’s proud of the strong support.
Montino says, “Particularly our community members, our nonprofits, our government organizations for pooling together and putting forth the effort that they did as part of the response and recovery process.”
In addition to some 150 homes being impacted by water or sewage in Correctionville, Montino says other damage in Woodbury County included 150 homes in Sioux City and 30 properties in the tiny town of Smithland — population 181.
“To see that we’re this far out and we still have all of these organizations willing to come out and help in force is really admirable,” he says. “I’m happy and proud to see such a strong response from our community.”
The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance in Woodbury and 14 other western Iowa counties is October 22nd.
