Duluth Still Recovering 1 Year After Flooding
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It came on faster than anyone could have imagined. One year ago today, 10 inches of rain fell north of the Twin Cities in Duluth, causing widespread flooding.
And today a lot of rebuilding still needs to be done. Many roads washed away from the force of the water and created sinkholes large enough to swallow cars. The floods also hit the Lake Superior Zoo, drowning some of the barnyard animals, and allowing two seals and a polar bear to escape.
A year later, some of the areas damaged still aren't what they used to be. We caught some pretty dramatic video last year as roads were still being washed away by the flooding. And one year later, people are still dealing with the lasting effects.
Many got together in Duluth Tuesday night to talk about their experiences and the hurdles that are still in front of them. The flood damaged more than 3,000 homes, leaving 1,900 with significant damage. The Duluth News Tribune reports that only about half of the houses have been fixed from the flooding.
Businesses and homeowners are trying to get loans to continue the clean-up effort. The federal government and state are each paying about $14 million to fix the roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
The zoo was able to reopen less than a month after the flooding, and Thursday it will let visitors in for free as a way to thank the community for their recovery efforts.
Most of the work left to do that's being paid for by the government is expected to be finished within the next year. Wednesday night, officials from Carlton County just south of Duluth will be talking about the recovery work that still has to be done there.
