ST. PAUL — Heavy rains are causing mudslides, forcing State Parks and roads to close, and increasing the need for sandbagging around the state.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is fully activated and responding to requests for assistance from communities across Minnesota.
One hundred National Guard troops are traveling to Koochiching County to assist with the flood response. They will move supplies and equipment as needed.
The latest information reported to the State Emergency Operations Center:
State Assistance- HSEM staff coordinated a sandbagging machine for Koochiching County. The machine was moved from Norman County and will be used at the Kerry Park sandbag station in International Falls.
- Regional Program Coordinators are meeting with impacted local communities
State Agencies
MnDOT
- The Mankato office of the Minnesota Department of Transportation advises no unnecessary travel in flooded areas of south central Minnesota
- Crews are clearing mudslides and installing traffic controls
Department of Natural Resources
- Blue Mounds State Park and Franz Jevne State Park are closed
- Minneopa State Park near Mankato is partly closed
Regional Reports
Northern Minnesota
- Koochiching County
- 100 National Guard deployed to assist in the flood response
- Incident Management Team arriving to assist in flood response
- Red Cross is assisting with lodging for volunteers and displaced residents
- Southeast Region
- Sibley County – Henderson
- Travel into Henderson difficult by car
- Culvert blew on Fort Hill Road sending large debris field into the city
- Mudslide on Highway 19 is now compounded by trees and debris on the road
- Morrison County
- County Road 236 washed out
-
Renville County
- Additional 5.8” of rain fell overnight bringing the total for the past week to 13.6”
- County and township roads are under water
- Blue Earth County
- More than 5” of rain since Monday
- Sandbagging at New Richland and Eagle Lake
- Nicollet County
- Wastewater treatment plan under water
- Numerous roads closed
Southwest Region
- Rock County
- Township, community leaders and HSEM Regional Program Coordinator met this morning and reviewed damages.
MnDOT provides current road conditions across the state are available at 511mn.org
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EDITOR’S NOTE:
The Joint Information Center is activated to provide regular updates and one point of contact for all state agency activities.
Contact information for members of the media is:
Phone: (651) 201-7477
Email: eoc.pio.lead@state.mn.us
On the Web: www.eoc.state.mn.us
On Twitter twitter.com/MnDPS_HSEM
On Facebook http://www.facebook.com/MnHSEM
