ST. PAUL, Minn. — Top state leaders are sharing an update on major flooding in southern Minnesota Tuesday afternoon.
Gov. Tim Walz and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar took an air tour of the region earlier in the day to assess the damage. After the tour, both returned to St. Paul to provide an update on what they had learned. CBS News Minnesota will stream the news conference live at 3:30 p.m. Watch it in the live player above.
The governor and senator are joined by Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke of the Minnesota National Guard, Bob Jacobson, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, and Thom Petersen, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
On Monday, Walz called the flooding ‘unprecedented’ but said the state is prepared. That’s why a partial activation is taking place at the State Emergency Operation Center, where partner state agencies are working together to coordinate what they call a “One Minnesota Effort.”
Massive flooding is now affecting nearly half of Minnesota. As of Tuesday morning, a few Minnesota rivers are near, or in some cases above, record levels, including the Des Moines River at Avoca and Windom, and the Minnesota River at Henderson and Jordan.
Le Sueur County, which includes Waterville, has declared a state of emergency due to flood damage. Waterville officials said this is the worst flooding the city has ever seen. Parts of the city are flooded due to cumulative rainfall of 14 to 18 inches. Some areas are worse than others, with floodwaters knee deep to hip deep.
At the request of the Le Sueur County Sheriff, Governor Walz declared a peacetime state of emergency on Saturday and authorized the Minnesota National Guard to assist with flood control operations.
Flooding on the Blue Earth River caused an abutment of the Rapidan Dam Monday morning partially fail, and it stays inside “impending disruption.” That dam is just southwest of Mankato.
