Crews are rushing to deal with trees which have fallen onto the levee which protects the city of Council Bluffs from the Missouri River. Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan stood not far from the site today as he spoke with reporters, and the mayor urged the public to stay away from the area.
“Due to the fact that we have workers out here,” Hanafan said. “We’re going to be doing a lot of construction. We had two trees that fell just beyond here, that fell onto the levee. We have to take those off right immediately and we’re trying to do the things that we have to do. Safety is so important.”
According to Hanafan, the cities of Council Bluffs and Omaha are working shoulder-to-shoulder in the flood fight. “It doesn’t make any difference what side of the river you live on, Nebraska or Iowa. We’ve been in constant contact with the City of Omaha. Operational wise, if there’s going to equipment needs on either side, personnel — this is where we’re going to draw it,” Hanafan said.
“We can’t go north because as you go up to Sioux City, which is the next largest city, they have their problems…and so this is going to be something that we’re going to have to do internally.” Governor Branstad is scheduled to visit Hamburg this evening. He’s expected to arrive shortly before eight o’clock and tour the levee which has been built to try to protect the town from flooding.
By Karla James