Downtown Dunbar streets were underwater this morning. Photo by Dan Swanson.

Heavy rainfall early Thursday fell on areas already drenched from a series of storms that have passed through the area, causing the Little Nemaha River and its main tributary at Dunbar to overflow and send flood waters into Palmyra, Unadilla, Syracuse and Dunbar. Ron Vodicka, chief deputy of Otoe County Emergency Management, said five inches of rain fell near Palmyra over night and Unadilla reports nearly four inches. He said the heaviest rain came over a half-hour period, flooding Hooper Creek west of Unadilla and a creek east of the village. Flooding of the North Branch of the Little Nemaha River at Dunbar covered the bridge of old Highway 2 east of town and crossed the railroad tracks. The American Red Cross has been in contact with emergency management officials regarding the potential need to evacuate residents from lowland areas in Syracuse.