RENVILLE COUNTY, Minn. — As Minnesota gets pummeled by yet a third day of extreme winter weather events, Gov. Tim Walz has declared a peacetime emergency and called upon the National Guard to help stranded motorists and provide shelter.
Assistance from the Guard was requested by Renville County officials, who say they need help rescuing stranded motorists, and facilitating the use of armories as shelters.
“Every Minnesotan deserves a safe holiday, and the Minnesota National Guard will help stranded motorists and ensure everyone can travel safely," said Walz in a statement.
The peacetime emergency is "effective immediately," according to the governor's order, and "remains in effect until the emergency conditions caused by the winter storm subside or December 30, 2022, whichever occurs first."
The Minnesota Department Of Transporation said that as of 4:30 p.m. Friday, more than 2,000 miles of Minnesota highways were closed or travel not advised due to blizzard conditions, which has caused more than 1,000 crashes since the weather system arrived Wednesday.
"I am incredibly grateful that the National Guard has answered this call to action, and I’m confident that they have the right personnel and resources for this mission,” Walz said.
To find out if your route is affected by closures, visit 511mn.org.
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