CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – The Latest on flooding along rain-swollen rivers in Iowa (all times local CDT): 5:30 p.m….About 100 homes in low-lying areas of the small Linn County town of Palo along the Cedar River have been evacuated. City Clerk Trisca Dix tells The Associated Press that the mandatory evacuation in the town of about 1,000 took place Saturday afternoon before the river was expected to crest Sunday night at 24.5 feet. Mayor Tom Yock told the Des Moines Register that volunteers and work crews scrambled Saturday to protect as much of the town from flooding as possible.

Yock said the town, which was devastated by record flooding in 2008, is trying to be more proactive this time around. He says many people moved their belongings to the upper levels of their homes and built sandbag barriers before evacuating.

4:10 p.m.: Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and several other state leaders on Saturday toured flood damage in Clarkesville and Shell Rock and assessed flood preparedness plans underway in Cedar Rapids.  Branstad was joined by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Iowa National Guard Adjutant General Tim Orr and Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Mark Schouten. Branstad and Reynolds also expect to assess flood damage next week.

On Friday, Branstad signed a disaster proclamation for 13 northeast Iowa counties affected by flooding. It activates the Iowa National Guard to assist in preparedness and in response when there’s damage.