Ricketts tours damage in Lexington and Kearney as flood waters move toward other communities

State officials toured flood damage and talked about plans moving forward at a press conference Wednesday morning in Kearney. 

Gov. Pete Ricketts, who oversaw damage in Lexington and Kearney from a helicopter, said the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is monitoring the situation along with local emergency response agencies. The area received between eight and nine inches of rain. 

Floodwaters damaged houses and several Kearney hotels. The University of Nebraska Kearney opened two housing units and provided food service to flood victims. The Red Cross opened a shelter Tuesday in Lexington. Ricketts said the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Kearney location is offering healthcare assistance. 

“We are going to be there for the people of Kearney,” Ricketts said. 

As of Wednesday morning, the only emergency aid request to the state had been for sandbags, Ricketts said. There had been no search and rescue requests involving state personnel, NEMA Assistant Director Bryan Tuma said. 

Damage assessments would begin in the coming days and weeks, but no dollar estimate had been calculated, Tuma said. 

“We have no idea at this point,” he said, adding that the situation would be assessed to determine if federal aid could be an option to aid in recovery. 

Officials said they’re also focused on the floodwater as it makes its way toward other communities. The town of Gibbon, approximately 20 miles east of Kearney, had reportedly seen rapidly rising water levels Wednesday morning. The National Weather Service said Gibbon could see near-record cresting, with waters peaking Wednesday evening.

NWS also said there could be substantial rises to just below flood stage at Duncan, approximately 12 miles west of Columbus, through Monday, and to a lesser extent downstream at North Bend.