Rising floodwaters threaten Chicago suburb

FEMA chief surveys Minn. damage
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator R. David Paulison surveyed damage Friday in Rushford, Minn., which was especially hard hit by flooding this week. Mayor Les Ladewig said about half of Rushford’s 760 homes were damaged, including 248 that were destroyed and 91 with serious damage.

About 1,500 homes were damaged around the state, and Paulison said FEMA recovery centers should be running early next week in the three counties where President Bush declared disasters Thursday.

Paulison also visited Wisconsin, where flooding destroyed 44 homes and damaged more than 1,400, most of them in the southwestern part of the state. FEMA agreed to begin evaluating the damage Saturday, three days earlier than planned, after an appeal from Gov. Jim Doyle.

“The people are really suffering,” said Donna Gilson, a spokeswoman for Wisconsin Emergency Management. “We have to move this along as fast as possible.”

Town receives flood scare
In Missouri, the Weather Service issued flood warnings for several communities along the Mississippi River, expecting levels 4 to 5 feet above flood stage because of the earlier storms upstream. That’s not enough to endanger levees but could threaten homes in river bottoms.

In Ottumwa, Iowa, heavy rain backed up the sewer system, threatening the water supply to the city of about 25,000. Residents were asked Friday to use tap water as little as possible; the city set up water distribution centers and portable toilets around town.

The latest rains have already made this the wettest month ever in Rockford, Ill., 80 miles northwest of Chicago, with nearly 14 inches in August. Chicago itself has endured its fifth-wettest August with 9.12 inches, the most since 2001, with a full week left to go in the month.

Ironically, Blagojevich cut more than $1 million worth of flood-control money out of the state budget before signing it into law Thursday. The cuts included $100,000 earmarked for a new levee in Prospect Heights, which Mayor Rodney Pace called “a kick in the shorts.”

“There are a lot of people who are really upset,” Pace said. “They’re all out here sandbagging.”

The governor didn’t want to talk about cuts in the budget at an appearance Friday afternoon in northern Illinois. He said there have been increases for issues like flooding but didn’t elaborate.

MORE FROM WEATHER

Weather Section Front

Holiday storm aims for West, Midwest Europe eyes new snow after travel chaos 3 die in dust storm crashes   3 dead as dust storm, snow blast Arizona   Hawaiian water spout dumps hail   Watch 3-day national forecast After snow, a race to get gifts, get home East Coast resumes work, travel — slowly The lowdown on winter solstice Weather Section Front   Add Weather headlines to your news reader: