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To: [log in to unmask] Dear friends in Christ, Once again we are watching and waiting to see what will happen in the upper Midwest, but this time we're watching Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa. Last week the Red River crested, and is now falling. Major disasters have been averted in North Dakota and Minnesota. Now the Mississippi River continues to rise. Sandbaggers are busy over a 400-mile area, and heavy rainstorms are predicted this weekend. I'd like to share with you the Church World Service "Situation Report" from yesterday afternoon: *** Church World Service Report *** MIDWEST FLOODS April 19, 2001 SITUATION: The Mississippi River - cresting in La Crosse, Wis., short of predictions - still posed a threat as evacuations continued today along a 400-mile stretch of the waterway in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Hundreds of river homes were flooded but dikes were holding and sandbagging continued, officials said, as the river crested at 16.41 feet in La Crosse - a foot and a half below the record set in April 1965, and had dropped to 16.25 feet today, the Associated Press (AP) reported. But officials warned the river would take several weeks to fall below the flood stage of 12 feet. Attention was now being focused on the Davenport, Iowa, area. Water had crested 18 feet today near Davenport - 3 feet above flood stage, the AP reported. Sixteen counties in Minnesota and nine in Wisconsin were declared state disaster areas. Gov. Tom Vilsack, issued an advance disaster proclamation for 10 counties in Iowa. RESPONSE: Church-based volunteers throughout the region continue to assist in local community disaster-response efforts, such as dike construction, and it appears likely that, throughout the region, there will be new interfaith groups formed in communities affected by spring floods. But the impact on the most vulnerable residents of the communities at risk is not yet clear. *** End of Church World Service Report *** I have been in contact with the ELCA Synod offices and social agencies through which the Mississippi runs. As was true last week, the people hold guarded optimism as they sandbag and prepare for floods. Some city streets, county roads, and state highways are closed because of flooding. > The Mississippi River, which topped 19 feet Thursday, should crest at 22 to 22.5 feet Tuesday over the next five days or so. > Levies, earth dikes, and sandbags have contained the river waters so far. Local volunteers continue to fill and place sandbags in all states. The river has flooded the basements of many riverside houses and businesses. > As people remember the 1965 and 1993 floods - and experience the present rising waters - they are experiencing enormous emotional and spiritual stress. > Generally throughout the region there are preparations for worst-case scenarios and high hopes for the best. Please maintain your fervent prayers of support! Once again we watch and wait with our sisters and brothers in the upper Midwest. And ELCA Domestic Disaster Response, through Lutheran Disaster Response (the cooperative ministry of the ELCA and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) stands ready to offer support and assistance in these tense moments, and help and hope if a disaster response is needed. Yours in Christ, Gil Furst GILBERT B. FURST (written on Fri, Apr 20, 2001, at 11:50 am). Director for ELCA DOMESTIC DISASTER RESPONSE (Division for Church in Society) and LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE (a cooperative ministry of the ELCA and LC-MS) 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago 60631 PHONE: 773-380-2822 FAX: 773-380-2493 Please visit our website: www.elca.org/dcs/disaster