A levee failure in east-central Nebraska spurred a flash flood emergency Friday as forecasters urged citizens to ‘
Nebraska and other parts of the Midwest are coping with heavy flooding this weekend in the wake of a powerful « bomb cyclone » as well as from the natural snow melt during spring thaw, forecasters said.
Communities in that state as well as others in Iowa and South Dakota remain under a flood warning for rain and snow melt.
« Nebraskans should watch the weather and waterways in their communities closely in the coming days, and be prepared for historic levels of flooding even if it has not hit their community yet, » Ricketts said. » As Nebraskans know, conditions can change quickly, and everyone needs to be prepared. »
Historic floods draw comparisons to 2011
Bohac stated that in some ways, the flooding being seen across Nebraska is dangerous than historic flooding the state experienced in 2011.
« If you think about to 2011, just to give you a contrast, the National Guard operations were putting soldiers and airmen on the levees to monitor their stability and other issues. We did not run one rescue operation in that flood, » Bohac said. « This is a different environment than we experienced in 2011. More complex and in some ways more dangerous. »
The 2011 summer flood left five dead, caused more than $2 billion dollars in damage and flooded out 4,000 homes, according to CNN affiliate WOWT-TV. The flood of 2011 spanned the entire summer, WOWT reported, causing problems all along the Missouri River.
Omaha Fire Chief Dan Olsen said the Nebraska National Guard has deployed Black Hawk helicopters to a couple of rescues across the state. Chief Olsen said multiple pieces of equipment, boats, helicopters, large vehicles and even tractors are being used to navigate flooded roads. Along with aerial support from the National Guard, Chief Olsen urged residents who are told to evacuate to leave their homes, and not to wait before it’s too late.
Omaha rescue crews have transported several people suffering from hypothermia as a result of the flooding, Olsen said.
Olsen also said that while there are dive team members on standby and other emergency rescue members are being deployed « into very serious and dangerous waters, » they can only do so much.
« There comes a point where it’s very possible, although we’ll do our absolute best and risk our all to try to get to you, there may be instances where it’s just not possible for us to do that, » he said.
Levees fail and nuclear plant prepares to shut down
The Nebraska Emergency Management Agency opened a State Emergency Operation Center after an emergency declaration on Tuesday in response to the flooding and blizzards.
