Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said it may take a while for Nebraska to recover from the so-called “bomb cyclone” that ravaged the Midwest with rain and snow this week.
“As snow and rain pass, many communities have experienced devastating flooding. This could last for quite some time,” Ricketts said Friday.
“Nebraskans should watch the weather and waterways in their communities closely in the coming days, and be prepared for historic levels of flooding even if it has not hit their community yet,” Ricketts said. ” As Nebraskans know, conditions can change quickly, and everyone needs to be prepared.”
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
Tom Wilke, left, his son Chad, center, and Nick Kenny, launch a boat into the swollen waters of the North Fork of the Elkhorn River, to check on Wilke’s flooded property, in Norfolk, Neb., Friday, March 15, 2019. Heavy rain falling atop deeply frozen ground has prompted evacuations along swollen rivers in Wisconsin, Nebraska and other Midwestern states. Thousands of people have been urged to evacuate along eastern Nebraska rivers as a massive late-winter storm has pushed streams and rivers out of their banks throughout the Midwest.
(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
Tom Wilke, center, his son Chad, right, and Nick Kenny, load a boat out of the swollen waters of the North Fork of the Elkhorn River after checking on the Wilke’s flooded property, in Norfolk, Neb., on Friday.
(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
The approach to a bridge over the Elkhorn River, seen Friday afternoon, March 15, 2019, leading south out of Stanton, Neb., collapsed because of the flooding on Thursday. Thousands of people have been urged to evacuate along eastern Nebraska rivers as a massive late-winter storm system has pushed streams and rivers out of their banks throughout the Midwest.
(Darin Epperly/The Norfolk Daily News via AP)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
Madison County Sheriff Todd Volk replaces cones on an area of Kaneb Road north of Norfolk, Neb., that had washed out while making rounds checking on the flooding situation in the county. Thousands of people have been urged to evacuate along eastern Nebraska rivers as a massive late-winter storm has pushed streams and rivers out of their banks throughout the Midwest.
(Darin Epperly/The Norfolk Daily News via AP)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
Highway 81 near the Industrial Highway intersection north of Norfolk, Neb., is covered for a long stretch with strong flowing flood waters. Thousands of people have been urged to evacuate along eastern Nebraska rivers as a massive late-winter storm has pushed streams and rivers out of their banks throughout the Midwest.
(Darin Epperly/The Norfolk Daily News via AP)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
An abandoned car sits on Industrial Highway in flood waters north of Norfolk, Neb. According to a trooper on scene, the occupant had to be rescued. Thousands of people have been urged to evacuate along eastern Nebraska rivers as a massive late-winter storm has pushed streams and rivers out of their banks throughout the Midwest.
(Darin Epperly/Norfolk Daily News via AP)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
Highway 81 north of Norfolk, Neb., is covered in flood waters. Thousands of people have been urged to evacuate along eastern Nebraska rivers as a massive late-winter storm has pushed streams and rivers out of their banks throughout the Midwest.
(Darin Epperly/The Norfolk Daily News via AP)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
Green Bay firefighters assist residents in evacuating their homes due to the East river flooding on Friday in Green Bay, Wis. Heavy rain falling atop deeply frozen ground has prompted evacuations along swollen rivers in Wisconsin, Nebraska, and other Midwestern states, while powerful wind and snow have impacted hundreds of miles of interstates in North Dakota.
(Adam Wesley/The Post-Crescent via AP)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
First responders bring out a truckload of residents from the King Lake area near Valley, Neb., because of flooding on Friday, March 15, 2019. Flooding in the central U.S. on Friday caused by rain and snowmelt from a massive late-winter storm forced hundreds of people to evacuate, threatened a nuclear power plant and shut down traffic on part of the Missouri River, foreshadowing a difficult spring flooding season.
(Kent Sievers/Omaha World-Herald via AP)
Late Winter Weather – March 16, 2019
A Bald Eagle takes off from its perch near Eagle Lake, Miss., in Warren County. Backwater flooding continues in the Eagle Lake area, which was at a level of 96.35 feet Friday morning. Levels are expected to rise to as much as 97.5 feet before cresting.
(Courtland Wells/The Vicksburg Post via AP)
The historic levels of flooding have displaced of people in Nebraska and Iowa, and floodwaters in some areas were expected to keep rising through Monday.
Omaha is bracing for the Missouri River to crest at 33.7 feet at approximately 2 a.m. Sunday. When Nebraska flooded in 2011, the river crest reached approximately 36 feet, but the levee was not breached at that point.
“Omaha has 13 miles of flood control on the Missouri River. The levee is safe and the river is not expected to compromise the levee. The levee is being monitored as a precaution,” Mayor Jean Stothert said Thursday.
The Nebraska National Guard warned residents in the state on Saturday morning to not travel anywhere unless absolutely necessary.
“We repeat: It is still dangerous to enter any flood waters, and roads continue to be closed across the state,” Nebraska National Guard tweeted Saturday morning. “DO NOT TRAVEL unless necessary, and NEVER drive through flood waters.”
Ricketts declared a state of emergency for the state on Tuesday and said that the state’s national guard was assessing the flooding’s destruction on Friday.
Omaha Fire Chief Dan Olsen said Black Hawk helicopters have conducted several rescues in the state. He also cautioned that although emergency rescue teams are prepared to go “into very serious and dangerous waters,” not all missions may be successful.
“There comes a point where it’s very possible, although we’ll do our absolute best and risk our all to try to get to you, there may be instances where it’s just not possible for us to do that,” he said.
President Trump said he spoke with Rickets about the situation on Friday and praised first responders for how they’ve handled the situation.
“Just spoke w/ @GovRicketts. The people of Nebraska & across the Midwest, especially the Farmers & Ranchers, are feeling the impacts from severe weather,” Trump tweeted Friday. “The first responders & emergency response teams have done a great job dealing w/ record flooding, high winds, & road closures.”
