Travel is not advised in six northwest Iowa counties due to flooded roads and the National Weather Service warns there is a slight risk of excessive rainfall again today in portions of northern and eastern Iowa. At 8 a.m., Governor Kim Reynolds declared Sioux County a state disaster area and at 10 a.m. she extended the declaration to another 20 counties.
Evacuations began this morning on the south side of Spencer, A levee in the Sioux County town of Rock Valley was breached overnight.
Sioux County officials ordered all residents north of Highway 18 in Rock Valley to evacuate as flood waters rose there Friday night. Dive teams with boats and emergency vehicles rescued many who were brought to a church in Rock Valley if they had nowhere else to go. Floodwaters have washed out gravel roads and several damaged bridges in the county. Water is covering many highways and those are closed as well. The Sioux County Sheriff has issued a ‘no travel’ advisory for the entire county.
The Dickinson County Sheriff has issued a ‘no travel’ advisory for his county as well. Highway 9 between Spirit Lake and Lake Park is impassable.