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| Thousands forced out by US floods | Thousands forced out by US floods |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| At least 24,000 people have been forced from their homes in Iowa by flooding, which has also severely damaged crops in America's main corn state. | |
| Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders as Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and other Iowa cities were partly deluged. | Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders as Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and other Iowa cities were partly deluged. |
| The disaster was triggered by storms blamed for at least nine deaths in the US Midwest this week. | The disaster was triggered by storms blamed for at least nine deaths in the US Midwest this week. |
| South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana have also been affected. | South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana have also been affected. |
| Iowa Governor Chet Culver has declared most of the Hawkeye State a disaster area. | Iowa Governor Chet Culver has declared most of the Hawkeye State a disaster area. |
| The floods have wrecked the Midwest's corn and soybean crops, helping push already high food prices to record levels this week. | The floods have wrecked the Midwest's corn and soybean crops, helping push already high food prices to record levels this week. |
| State capital Des Moines was dealing with its first major flooding on Saturday as water poured out of the Des Moines river when a levee gave way. | State capital Des Moines was dealing with its first major flooding on Saturday as water poured out of the Des Moines river when a levee gave way. |
| This is our version of Katrina Mike SullivanJohnson County Emergency Management In pictures: Iowa floods | This is our version of Katrina Mike SullivanJohnson County Emergency Management In pictures: Iowa floods |
| One of the worst affected areas is Cedar Rapids city, where 438 streets have been submerged and nearly 4,000 homes evacuated. | |
| Officials in the city - which is the state's second largest with a population of about 120,000 - warn its drinking water supply is under threat. | Officials in the city - which is the state's second largest with a population of about 120,000 - warn its drinking water supply is under threat. |
| The cost of the damage in Cedar Rapids alone has been estimated at $737m (£380m). | The cost of the damage in Cedar Rapids alone has been estimated at $737m (£380m). |
| City Mayor Brian Fagan said: "It's a bit overwhelming. This is an endurance competition." | City Mayor Brian Fagan said: "It's a bit overwhelming. This is an endurance competition." |
| The Cedar river crested on Friday night at nearly 32ft (9.75m), 12ft (3.66m) higher than the previous record, set in 1929. | The Cedar river crested on Friday night at nearly 32ft (9.75m), 12ft (3.66m) higher than the previous record, set in 1929. |
| "This is our version of Katrina," Johnson County Emergency Management spokesman Mike Sullivan said in Iowa City, in a reference to the hurricane that caused devastation in New Orleans in 2005. | "This is our version of Katrina," Johnson County Emergency Management spokesman Mike Sullivan said in Iowa City, in a reference to the hurricane that caused devastation in New Orleans in 2005. |