Five counties ravaged by storms and flooding in northeastern Iowa will get disaster assistance. Gov. Terry Branstad issued a disaster proclamation for Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek counties. Under the declaration, the counties can use state resources to recover from the disasters.
Volunteers scrambled Thursday to erect sandbag walls around businesses and some homes as the rain-swollen Turkey River threatened to breach protective levees in northeast Iowa. Authorities say the flooding already occurring in Clayton County’s Elkader and elsewhere is expected to worsen as the river is forecast to hit 27 feet Friday morning in Elkader. That’s 15 feet above flood stage and just three-quarters of a foot under the record crest of more than 27.75 inches in 2008.
Chickasaw County authorities identify the driver killed from Wednesday morning’s flooding incident.
The Sheriff’s Office confirms 77-year-old Albert Gott was killed after his vehicle was swept away by fast-moving water across Union Avenue in Chickasaw County.