After days of intense rain that prompted hundreds of people to evacuate or be rescued from rising waters, flooding in the Midwestern US caused the collapse of a railroad bridge, the death of at least two people, and the surge of water around a dam, according to reports from American media on Monday, June 24. A man from Illinois lost his life on Saturday, June 22, while attempting to get over a barricade in Spencer.
The man’s pickup washed away by the Little Sioux River, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Because of the hazardous conditions, officials were only able to retrieve his remains on Monday even though they had discovered the vehicle near the treeline.
Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota announced the death of the second victim, but she did not provide any other information.
According to an Associated Press article, the flooding during an ongoing heatwave caused more suffering in certain areas of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota. On Monday afternoon, the temperature in certain areas affected by flooding was close to 37.7 degrees Celsius.
According to the report, almost 3 million people reside in flood-affected areas ranging from Omaha, Nebraska, to St. Paul, Minnesota. Because of the water, Amtrak, a government organization, had to temporarily transfer passengers via bus in the Omaha area of Nebraska.
In North Sioux City, South Dakota, the railroad bridge fell. On Sunday night, the bridge that linked Sioux City, Iowa, with North Sioux City, South Dakota, collapsed into the Big Sioux River.
Pictures shared on social media revealed a sizable portion of the steel bridge partially submerged beneath the surge of floodwaters. The bridge collapse was claimed to have caused no injuries.
