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Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Floodwaters have quickly receded, down from last week's high of 15 feet above flood stage. But as they retreated Monday, it became increasingly evident that it will be a slow, painful recovery for this city of 120,000.
Over the weekend, city officials had let some people back into homes and downtown businesses to retrieve important possessions and files. But after several accidents attributed to flood damage, city officials suspended the reentry programme until every building can be inspected by "strike teams" including fire, police, health and energy officials.
"There are incredibly hazardous things going on," said Lieutenant Colonel Greg Hapgood, spokesman for the Iowa National Guard. "Live power lines, gas leaks, petroleum, chemicals. We are working feverishly so people can get into their homes, reclaim some goods and then get out, but we have 3,900 homes to inspect."
The delays in letting people back into their homes is spawning anger and frustration in many quarters.
Carter Pauls, 46, who moved back to her native Cedar Rapids recently because her husband is being deployed to Iraq, was particularly peeved by what she termed the "disorganisation of the guard".
"We gave them our keys two days ago, and we can't get any information from them. We hear they are losing keys and busting windows," she said.
More than 1,000 city blocks are still barricaded by some of the 750 National Guardsmen in the city. Though the Cedar River has dropped seven feet since Friday, many houses and government buildings are still standing in floodwaters that include agricultural chemicals and raw sewage from the wastewater treatment plant.
Cedar Rapids is in one of the 24 Iowa counties designated disaster areas where residents can apply for individual federal assistance. But after Hurricane Katrina, residents said they are not looking forward to dealing with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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