Iowa Lake Vanishes (PHOTOS)

A lake that has been in Iowa since the 1920s has completely disappeared in a matter of hours, after a burst dam made it vanish during a rain storm.

The lake was manmade, and maintained by a dam that was privately owned dam. THe heavy rain storm that caused the dam to burst caused major property damage and ruined lots of real estate in the small Iowa town.

Residents are hoping FEMA will step in to help the town revcover and rebuild the town and the dam, since the expenses will go beyond wat real estate insurance and local government resources can cover.

Iowa Lake Vanishes (PHOTOS)
dailybeast

One day, Lake Delhi was filled with summer revelers swimming and tubing. The next, it was a mere fraction of what it used to be, after a privately owned dam that had created the Iowa lake in the 1920s broke down from heavy rain, sending its water cascading away. Witnesses estimate that the lake receded at a pace of six inches per minute, almost emptying overnight. "It just makes your jaw drop," said one local resident. "The lake's gone." Denizens are hoping to seek aid from FEMA to rebuild the dam and deal with flooding costs, though a majority of the properties around the nine-mile-long lake are vacation homes, which don't always qualify for rebuilding funds.

Iowa Lake Vanishes (PHOTOS)