Rock Rapids, Iowa — For the second time in about ten years, Rock Rapids residents are having to deal with the aftermath of major flooding.
While the damage is much less than in the community of Rock Valley, about 20 miles downstream, the flooding in Rock Rapids was a record, and damaged a large number of homes, according to Mayor Jason Chase. He gives us an update.
Chase says individuals are also eligible for different kinds of help.
We asked him how many homes in Rock Rapids were affected by the flood.
We asked if the town fared better in this flood since roughly 50 homes were removed in the aftermath of the flood of 2014 and building on those lots was prohibited by FEMA.
Chase says the paperwork takes a long time, and it’s possible more properties will be added to the “do not build list” in the future.
Chase encourages anyone affected by the flood in Rock Rapids to stop in at the Forster Community Center and talk to the disaster recovery folks. He says they plan to be there for the foreseeable future — at least until people stop coming in.
