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Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Days after it swamped Cedar Rapids and forced thousands of people out of their homes, the Cedar River in the US began falling.
But the misery could stretch on for days.
Officials guess it will be four days before the Cedar River drops enough for workers even to begin pumping out water that has submerged more than 400 blocks, threatened the city's drinking supply and forced the evacuation of a downtown hospital.
Record crest
"We're estimating at least a couple of weeks before the flood levels get down right around flood stage and below," said Dustin Hinrichs of the Linn County emergency operations centre.
The Cedar River crested Friday night at nearly 9.75 metres, 3.66 metres higher than the old record set in 1929.
Even as the river slowly recedes, officials worried that the city's supply of fresh drinking water would run out. Only one of the city's half-dozen wells was working, and it was protected by sandbags and generators that were pumping water away from it.
The scope of the damage was extensive, with preliminary damage estimates in Cedar Rapids of $737 million (Dh2,704 million), and officials foresee a long recovery.
"It's a bit overwhelming," said the city's Mayor Pro-tem, Brian Fagan. "This is an endurance competition. We have to be patient. We have to be cooperative."
Just south of Cedar Rapids, in Iowa City, Governor Chet Culver warned that more dramatic flooding could be on the way as the Iowa River rises.
"A real wave of water is on the way as we speak," he said.
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