GULFPORT , Illinois ( CNN ) -- All roads in the town of Gulfport , Illinois , lead to nowhere . They all hit a dead end into Mississippi River floodwaters . Most businesses and homes in Gulfport , Illinois , are underwater . Only 28 residents had flood insurance . The small town in western Illinois was devastated Wednesday when two levees failed about 45 miles south . Tuesday , all that was visible were a few signs and rooftops . `` It almost looked like a tidal wave coming across the land , '' recalls Rick Gerstel , a resident of Gulfport . `` Almost like the end of the world is what it looks like . '' The water barreled through with such force , it knocked Gulfport 's town hall off of its foundation , and the walls of some brick and mortar buildings collapsed . Most businesses and homes are underwater . But none of this was supposed to happen -- at least that is what residents believed . Gulfport was protected by a levee rated to withstand a 100-year flood . Although it was n't designed to protect the town from a flood on the scale of last week 's , it was enough protection that the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not require business or homeowners to purchase flood insurance . Only 28 of the town 's 200 residents had federal flood insurance . The rest trusted that the levees would hold . Residents Rick and Gina Gerstel , who lost everything , say no one from their bank to the municipal or federal governments ever told them they were at risk and ought to buy flood insurance . Some residents said they felt misled about the risks of not having flood insurance . They said they thought the chances of a catastrophic flood were miscalculated . Watch : Flooded residents gambled and lost » . Sen. Chris Dodd , D-Connecticut , agrees . He supports legislation that would require anyone living in an area protected by a levee to have flood insurance . `` I do n't know how you define 'protected ' or call that protected when you 're telling people 'you do n't have to have this ; you do n't need it ' ... and you 're watching families being devastated , '' Dodd said . `` But the opportunity to get on their feet again is going to be very difficult for many families . And that 's one of the major shortcomings in the flood insurance program . '' FEMA says its risk assessment of Gulfport was accurate , and the agency is spending $ 1 billion to upgrade outdated maps and re-evaluate flood dangers . `` We do our best to advertise the availability of flood insurance and encourage people to purchase it , '' said Terry Reuss Fell , regional chief of FEMA 's floodplain management . `` We implement the laws that are given to us and the laws right now deal with the floodplains management within that 100-year floodplain and the insurance purchase requirements in that area also . '' The flooding could have been worse , according to officials , if the federal government had not purchased low-lying land after the historic floods in 1993 , which caused $ 12 billion in damage . Since then , the government bought out more than 9,000 homeowners , turning much of the land into parks and undeveloped areas that can be allowed to flood with less risk . FEMA has moved or flood-proofed about 30,000 properties . But those changes are little consolation for the Gerstels and other uninsured residents who have lost everything and ca n't afford to rebuild . `` Will you ever go back to that house ? '' CNN asked the Gerstels . `` No , sir . I would not go back to the town , '' Rick Gerstel said . `` I would never live there again . ''
Nearly all homes , businesses in Gulfport , Illinois , were destroyed by floodwaters . FEMA did n't require flood insurance since levee rated to withstand a 100-year flood . Only 28 of the town 's 200 residents have flood insurance ; many ca n't afford to rebuild . Comment: