The clean up continues in parts of eastern Iowa that were flooded over a week ago. For some residents, the second major flood in three years is the last straw. In the Jones County town of Olin, Aaron Alderson was renting a home in a low-lying area. He moved out after flood waters surrounded the home again last week.
“We’ve had enough. We’ve moved to higher ground,” Alderson said. “The stink, the smell from everything is kind of unbearable at times.” All around Olin, you can see the mess the flood waters left behind – sandbags, debris and muddy grounds. A foul odor and bugs, especially mosquitoes, are everywhere. Some residents, like Walter Burke, are taking it all in stride.
“It’s going to happen but at least it’s not as bad as 2008,” Burke said. “That’s just Olin for ya, ya know?” There are quite a few homes for sale in the Olin area. Some were placed on the market since the recent flooding. Other homes in town remain vacant, waiting to be demolished after the 2008 floods.
By Nadia Crow, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids