美国有线新闻 CNN 美国中西部洪灾已致4人死亡 多州宣布进入紧急状态（在线收听）

In the U.S. Midwest, the north central part of the country, there are states of emergency in Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin. Lots of rain plus melting snow, plus a late winter snow storm brought by a bomb cyclone have left many places underwater. Part of the problem was that the ground was still frozen when the rain came, and it wasn't able to absorb the water.

So it found its way to rivers and streams and caused them to burst their banks and spread water all over. On Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service said more than 8 million people were under flood warnings. Nebraska was hit particularly hard. Its governor said the flooding was the most widespread disaster Nebraska had ever faced. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence traveled there yesterday to survey the damage. Nebraska's governor is hoping the Federal government will allow public funding to be used to help those effected.

In 17 places across the state, flood records were broken. And in Iowa 41 of the states 99 counties have been declared disaster areas. In addition to at least four lives that were lost in Nebraska and Iowa, farmers have lost grain and livestock. Fields are underwater. Private water supplies are threatened. South of Nebraska and Iowa, the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers which are already at minor or moderate flood stage are expected to rise higher in the next few days. So states like Kansas, Missouri and Illinois could see more flooding in the days ahead. In some places farther north, the water has begun to recede. In others, the threat remains.