Severe storms and heavy rain have created chaos in Sioux County. County officials ordered all residents north of Highway 18 in Rock Valley to evacuate as flood waters rose there Friday night. Dive teams with boats and emergency vehicles rescued many who were brought to a church in Rock Valley if they had nowhere else to go. The flooding has prompted Governor Reynolds to send in Iowa National Guard helicopters to rescue people in northwest Iowa.
The governor has issued a disaster declaration. In her X post, Reynolds says, “I have issued a Disaster Proclamation for Sioux County and directed all available state resources to assist Rock Valley and other communities in northwest Iowa in response to catastrophic flooding.” You can view the Governor’s disaster declaration here. The declaration allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and Disaster Case Advocacy Program.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and temporary housing expenses.
Damage to roadways and bridges is extensive as flood waters have washed out gravel roads and damaged several bridges throughout the county. In addition, main highways are closed as floodwaters cover many of them. The Sioux County Sheriff has issued a travel advisory stating travel is not advised.
Here is a list of closed roads in Sioux County as of 7am Saturday:
- Bridge out on B30 just west of Ironwood, 1/2 west of Middleburg
- Bridge washed out at K64 between 350th & 340th
- 340th St between Dove & Eagle Ave. has been washed out.
- Kingbird to K52 on HWY 18
- N. junction of 75/18 to 270th Street
- Hwy 18 west of RV near Dove Ave.
- Kennedy Ave from 280th to 260th
- Bridge on the IA/SD border 1/2 East of Hudson is closed
- Hwy 60 at mm12, 2 miles south of Alton
- Hwy 10 between Hwy 60 and Jefferson Avenue near Alton
- B40 from Hickory Ave. to Indian Ave. – 2.5 miles west of Sioux Center is closed – bridge damaged and unsafe to use
Officials are still conducting rescue operations and assessing damage throughout the county today. Again, county authorities have advised no travel in Sioux County on Saturday.
(Courtesy fellow Community First Broadcasting station KSOU in Sioux Center)
