HAMBURG, Iowa (AP) – Residents of Hamburg who were ordered in June to flee their homes amid Missouri River flooding are now being allowed to return. Local officials have lifted the mandatory evacuation. The river rose to record levels because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased releases from upstream reservoirs to make room for heavy rains and melting snowpack. The corps has started reducing the releases but the river is expected to remain high into fall.
Terry Cooper and his family spent Friday cleaning up their house. Cooper says he’s glad to be back but he’s frustrated that the Federal Emergency Management denied financial help for displaced homeowners. The state is appealing.
Cooper says the government caused the flood, so they should help fix the problems it caused.