PACIFIC JUNCTION, Iowa. (KMTV) — Recent floods hit the town of Pacific Junction hard. Today, a plan for re-entry begins under the direction of the Iowa Incident Management Team.
Pacific Junction mayor Andy Young, along with Larry Hurst of Mills County Emergency Management, have authorized this team to lead in ensuring the safety of Pacific Junction residents as they prepare to return to the community.
A Mandatory Evacuation Order remains in place for residents in the area East of Depot St, while those West of Depot St have been allowed to return to their properties.
Iowa Task Force 1 Urban Search & Rescue, Mid-American Energy, City Council Representatives and Law Enforcement Representatives have formed Assessment Teams, which will conduct Gross Rapid Hazard Assessments to identify any immediate threats to life or health.
After an exterior evaluation of each property, a green adhesive tag will be placed on the residence indicating if the team feels it's safe to enter or not.
Assessment will start Tuesday, April 16 and continue until completed.
To ensure security, entry to Pacific Junction will be limited to the South side via 195th St.
Law enforcement will be present around the community 24/7.
Wednesday, April 17 update:
Assessment teams have completed Gross Rapid Hazard Assessments on over half of the structures located in the community.
All assessments should be complete by noon Thursday.
These are only initial assessments and don't constitute building or electrical inspections.
Streetlights are being restored continually; however, no electricity has been restored to homes.
