Flooding in the central-U.S. is halting rail traffic, including shipments and deliveries from agricultural facilities. Union Pacific noted the flooding has caused “significant damage” to the company’s rail network.
Five routes of the Union Pacific rail network are closed due to flooding and track washouts in the Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska four-state area.
Meanwhile, BNSF Railway reported track closures in the same area, along with additional closures in North and South Dakota, and Illinois near the Mississippi River.
The track closures impact shipments of grain and rail services from ethanol plants in the region as the floodwaters continue to migrate down the Missouri River basin.
The rail companies say crews from across the county are in the region to restore service as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, a more than 100 mile stretch of Interstate 29 that runs parallel by a few miles along the river was closed Tuesday.
Vice President Mike Pence also visited flood-damaged areas of Nebraska and Iowa, along with Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
Missouri Governor Mike Parsons toured flooded areas of his state earlier over the weekend.