ST. PAUL, Minn. — Harriet Island St. Paul is still deeply submerged as the Mississippi River is expected to emerge Saturday evening.
The river, which has been overflowing its banks for days, is expected to reach a water level of 6.2 meters. That would be the seventh worst flood on the Mississippi ever.
On Friday evening, President Joe Biden declared Minnesota a major disaster and ordered federal assistance to help areas affected by the storms and flooding.
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Currently, the funding applies to 22 counties, but the list is expected to grow as more damage is estimated.
“These floods have caused serious damage across our state, and we must all work together to recover,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar. “I am pleased that the administration has taken swift action on our request so that our state can receive critical federal disaster relief funds.”
“This federal assistance provides our communities with the resources they need to build resilient infrastructure, reduce damage caused by flooding, provide emergency services, and protect against future repeated flood devastation,” said Representative Brad Finstad . “I am grateful that President Biden has granted Governor Walz’s request for this much-needed assistance, and I will continue to work with local officials to ensure that people in Minnesota’s First District get what they need to get back to normal as soon as possible to get on your feet. “
Also on Friday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that teams had been there with the Federal Emergency Management Agency deployed throughout Minnesota to assess the damage. Teams — dressed in FEMA uniforms — go door to door to conduct assessments. They do not ask for personal information from residents.
Tom Sivak, FEMA regional manager, asked residents to take photos of the damage and contact their insurance company as soon as possible.
Adam Duxter
