WATERVILLE, Minn. — The sound of heavy machinery echoed through Waterville as the cleanup began. One by one, trucks rolled in to deliver flood-damaged items to the Waterville rubble dump.
“This is day one, we’re going to be going for a long time,” said Waterville Police Chief and Emergency Manager John Manning.
At around 5:30 a.m. Saturday, Manning said more than 100 loads were dropped off. He saw everything from drywall, carpeting and furniture being thrown away.
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“Think about what’s in your house, the memories, the dreams that are in these trash cans right now,” Manning said.
That’s the harsh reality for the small town that has been battling historic flooding, leaving homes partially submerged and streets flooded.
While some rush to recover, others prepare for more rain.
“Since the flooding here, none of us have slept through the night because we’re worried about something,” said resident Lonnie Roemhildt.
The Cannon River flows through Roemhildt’s backyard and basement, causing flooding.
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“We have a garden in our backyard that you can’t see because there’s over three feet of water in it,” he said.
Ubah Ali of WCCO was in contact with him on Saturday evening as he began clearing debris left by floodwaters.
Even though the water level is dropping, Roemhildt says it is difficult to relax now that more rain will fall in the future.
“We are cleaning up now, but on Monday and Tuesday we may be back to square one, as if we did nothing,” Roemhildt said.
While the impact is not over yet, Roemhildt says she is grateful for the community’s support.
“We’re not giving up,” Manning said. “We’re going to keep pushing and get through this.”
President Biden has approved a federal disaster declaration for 22 counties. FEMA is still assessing damage in another 20.
Disaster relief will soon be on its way to communities like Waterville.
The cleanup in Waterville will continue on June 30, July 1, July 3 and July 5. Click here for more information.
