Evacuation Order Expanded In Minot As River Rises
MINOT, N.D. (WCCO) -- The fight against summer flooding is on in Minot, North Dakota -- and it's one tough battle.
As many as 11,000 people have already been evacuated and that evacuation order was expanded Thursday as the Mouse River continues to rise fast and furiously.
The river is not expected to peak until Sunday or Monday and will likely be several feet above its historic high in 1881.
So far, the city has received twice the amount of rainfall this spring compared to past years.
For the families who have been evacuated and the residents who recall flooding from the past, everyone in this small town is just looking to survive the storm.
4 Families Under 1 Roof
Eight adults, nine kids and four dogs under one roof can make it tough to find life's essentials. The garage at this over-stuffed home is now more like a storage facility.
"We've got four families living in one house and hope we're not killing each other in a few weeks," said Travis Smith.
Smith said this isn't the first time they've been in close quarters -- he and his family have been through this before when the snow melt caused waters to rise along the Mouse River, earlier in June.
Not yet unpacked, the family was forced to leave again.
"We're just glad we had a place to put everybody," said Dawn Philion.
With everyone safe, the family is focusing on what's next.
"It's the unknown that's the scariest," Smith said.
Remembering The 1969 Flood
She saw the flood in '69, but it doesn't compare.
"Not anything like this, it's unbelievable," said Ruth Schmidt.
She usually walks around Oak Park in Minot. But on Thursday, it was closed. So she brought her camera to the Broadway Bridge.
On Highway 52, just east of Minot, traffic can't get through except for trucks hauling sand and local authorities. They're checking out what's been lost and what soon will be gone.
"Yeah, it's a heart-breaking thing," Schmidt said.
But what surprises the locals the most are markers near the Broadway Bridge.
"It kind of makes a lump in your throat," she said.
Water will likely not just flood homes, but soon cover them.
