One million under flood warnings as heavy rain hits US Midwest

• One million under flood warnings in upper US midwest after days of heavy rain
• Iowa and South Dakota have been hit the hardest
• Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are also experiencing severe flooding
• Major damage to homes, infrastructure, and essential services
• Elsewhere, a severe heat wave has been sweeping the US with over 100 million affected

One million under flood warnings as heavy rain hits US Midwest

Over a million people in the upper US Midwest are under flood warnings following days of heavy rain, with Iowa and South Dakota being the hardest hit. In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds declared a state of disaster in 21 counties, describing the floods as “catastrophic.” In South Dakota, one person has died, and Governor Kristi Noem declared a state of emergency, warning of potentially record-breaking levels for the Big Sioux River. Evacuations and water rescues have been widespread, with Rock Valley, Iowa, seeing 4,000 residents displaced and many areas left without clean water.

Other states, including Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, are also experiencing severe flooding. In Wisconsin, a tornado destroyed the historic Apple Grove Lutheran Church in Argyle, established in 1893. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued various flood warnings, with some expected to last beyond the weekend. Officials are grappling with the extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and essential services, such as sewage plants, in multiple affected areas.

Compounding the crisis, a severe heat wave is sweeping across the country, affecting over 100 million people with temperatures nearing 100 F (37 C) in some regions. Cities from the mid-Atlantic to California are experiencing record-high temperatures, with Baltimore reaching 101 F (38 C), the highest since 1988 for this time of year. 

Scientists link these extreme weather events to human-caused climate change, emphasising that activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation are making such events more frequent and intense. The UN’s climate body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), notes an increase in the frequency and intensity of heatwaves globally since 1950.