High Flood Crests in Minot, North Dakota
June 27, 2011
At 11 am, local time Sunday in Minot, North Dakota, the Souris River tied the 1881 record after rising nearly a foot in the hour earlier. The river crested at just under 7 feet above major flood stage. A crest will be officially declared later during the day or evening on Sunday.
During the days leading up to the worst of the flooding, about 11,000 of Minot’s residents were evacuated from neighborhoods located close to the river. Only a few hundred of those residents used shelters which were set up at the city’s auditorium and at Minot State University. Others who were evacuated are expected to move in with family or friends and some will try to find hotel/motel accommodations in the area. Patrick Ayd, a meteorologist working for the National Weather Service said that the forecast shows a “very slow fall” of the river starting Sunday evening. The Souris River flows through the heart of Minot, a city of which 36,000 call home. Nearly one-third of the city’s residents were told to evacuate while at least 4,000 homes have been affected by flooding. That number could reach as high as 4,500 homes before all is said and done, officials are warning.
While the residents of Minot can begin to piece their lives back together, the worst is yet to come for other cities and towns in North Dakota. The small community of Sawyer, with a population of 350, has been completely evacuated over the weekend as water from the Souris began to creep into the town. A makeshift levee was constructed and is being reinforced in an attempt to protect homes and businesses in Sawyer. Residents are on pins and needles, waiting to see just how much water ends up flooding their quiet little community.
Officials in Minot issued a ‘boil water order’ on Saturday, telling people to boil tap water for at least 60 seconds before use so that any harmful organisms would be killed. The focus in Minot this weekend is on the Broadway Bridge which is a crucial north/south route through the city. Work has been going on around the clock to stop the river from flooding nearby roads. In the worst case scenario Minot would be split in half by flooding. Emergency services in the city would be adversely affected if that were to happen.
Chicago Suburbanites Battling Flooded Basements
June 10, 2011
The Chicago area has been under flash flood warnings since Thursday morning. The region also has experienced many power outages as a result of thunderstorms which have dumped several inches of rain on the area. At times, the pounding rain showed no mercy as sewers took in more water than they could handle. As a result, much of Chicago and its suburbs were overcome with water, forcing cars off the roads and pedestrians off sidewalks. Many drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles on flooded streets and roadways.
As more rain poured on the area (today) Friday, many residents in Chicago’s suburbs have been reporting water inside their homes, and especially those living in the southern suburbs. And, to make matters worse, a second round of storms is expected. Mother Nature is definitely unloading on the area and in some suburbs such as Oak Lawn, residents are dealing with a whole lot of heartache.
In Oak Lawn, a retention pond build ten years ago could not keep up with the deluge of water. Oak Lawn mayor Dave Heilmann said that it is the worst flooding there in several decades. Heilmann had to rescue his own wife out of the flood waters when her vehicle stalled out in water on an Oak Lawn street. Many homes in Oak Lawn are flooded with several feet of water which has sent residents packing so that they can stay with friends and relatives while their homes can be cleaned and dried.
Four inches of rain fell on Oak Lawn and the surrounding suburbs on Thursday. The heavy down-pouring sent Stony Creek gushing over its bank and a torrent of fast moving, muddy water rushing into village streets. The Oakdale subdivision has been turned into a lake with scores of homeowners there reporting several feet of water in their basements. Officials are urging residents to stay out of their flooded basements and to be sure that their homes’ utilities are turned off. They are also advising people to call their utility providers for assistance if they are unsure how to shut down the power to their homes.
While children are kayaking and tubing on suburban streets in the Chicagoland area, adults are checking their home insurance policies for flood coverage. Many are also contacting flood cleanup companies in the Chicago area of which most are reporting that their phones are ringing off the hooks.
