MORE than 38,000 residents in 26 Iowa communities were evacuated from their homes yesterday.

National Guard troops worked with residents to stem the damage from the widespread flooding in Iowa that killed at least three people, forced tens of thousands to evacuate and severely damaged the state's corn crop.

Receding water revealed widespread damage today in Iowa’s second-largest city, Cedar Rapids, caused by a record flood peak, while other Iowa cities faced rivers that were still rising, following a series of storms that left at least 15 people dead.