'Never Seen This Before': Hastings, Jordan Among Minnesota Cities Battling Floods
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin are dealing with high water. They've had to evacuate some homes and close roadways.
In Jordan, 300 households in this mobile home park have had to be evacuated. It's a flooding battle that the community has been fighting for days.
All the melting expected this week could make things worse.
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At Sand Creek in Jordan, city crews have been working to remove ice jams that are up to 3 feet thick in some spots.
Pat Rief has watched the Sand Creek floodwaters rise and take over some of his neighbors' homes at Valley Green mobile home park. He's been lucky so far and he's hoping the neighborhood catches a break.
"That truck on the street has been there since Thursday. He thought he was going to get out that way, but it's deeper that way. He's been stranded since Thursday night," said Rief.
Workers are using front end loaders and backhoes to break up ice jams and then haul them away.
"I've never seen this before," said public works director Scott Haas. "Had some guys stay at it all night last night, some guys went back it up this morning trying to get some of the ice down."
About 50 miles east of Jordan in Hastings, state, county and city leaders were meeting to proactively plan for flooding. Congresswoman Angie Craig offered help to the area, where they could potentially have their worst flooding since 2011.
"With the Mississippi River, Minnesota River, and the Cannon River, it's just this beautiful, beautiful place. But on the other hand there will be a lot going on here the next, a few weeks to mitigate any flood damage that will certainly occur," said Craig.
Something they're already seeing in Jordan. They're now hoping man power and Mother Nature can work together.
"I'm hoping some of these people can get the help they need," said Rief.
Meanwhile, front end loaders continue to break up ice jams. Residents who evacuated the mobile park last Thursday were taken to a nearby high school for shelter.
