Residents evacuate homes in Cedar Rapids ahead of flooding

Residents were leaving low-lying areas of Cedar Rapids, adhering to a request by authorities to clear out by 8 p.m. Sunday due to the risk of flooding from the rising Cedar River.

The river crested Saturday night in Waterloo and Cedar Falls, which are about 55 miles upstream from Cedar Rapids, which is Iowa’s second-largest city, with about 130,000 people.

The water levels were slightly lower than had been expected, but they still reached levels that were second only to those in 2008, when a major flood devastated the region.

The National Weather Service predicted that the river will crest at 23 feet in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday morning. Officials asked those living in about 5,000 homes near the river to evacuate. They said it could be days before people can return home.

The Cedar Rapids school district said Sunday that it is canceling classes through Wednesday because of the flooding. District officials will re-evaluate the situation by Wednesday.