Major flooding by the Mississippi River this spring is keeping the Red Cross busy. So far, it's been handing out water to flood victims, and soon it'll have clean-up kits available.
Pat D'Alessandro is a volunteer leading relief efforts in the Quad Cities. She says one area hard hit has been Campbell's Island in East Moline - the Red Cross handed out water there last week to people who's wells have been inundated. And they're planning to hand out water at least two more times this week - Wednesday and Friday.
"This water has been provided by Rock Island County. We were using Red Cross water initially but Rock Island County is now providing the water, but we're providing the staffing to hand that out just so the folks who live there have safe drinking water."
Free water will be available Wednesday and Friday, from 3 to 7 pm at the Campbell's Island fire station.
"We have been hearing from people within the Quad Cities area who have been displaced for an extended period of time and are now looking for help as far as sheltering goes. So we do stand ready to open a shelter if it's requested."
D'Alessandro says the Red Cross has handed out 330 cases of water to local flood victims, and more than 500 clean-up kits to residents along the Rock and Wapsipinicon rivers where the flooding is over - at least for now.
