WATERVILLE, Minn. — Waterville residents are bracing for more rain while attempting to fight off the floods that have already damaged and threatened properties.
Christa Wolner used more than 1,200 sandbags as a barricade around the base of her lakefront home. So far the fortress has worked to keep water out of her basement.
"It looks like it's a World War II bunker down there, and we're doing our darndest," Wolner said.
The city saw 5.8 inches of rain between Thursday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. "That is a lot of rain," KARE 11 Meteorologist Jamie Kagol said. Compared to the three-day span in Waterville, he says the MSP airport typically sees about 4 inches of rain in the entire month of June.
Community members say long lines formed at the city garage to college sandbags. With replenished supplies, they joined friends and family, even strangers in need, to build the barricades.
"There's a gentleman that flew here from Arizona to help," Wolner said. "That's crazy. That just is a reminder that there are good people."
Tanner Schuldt from nearby Elysian said he jumped into action when his friend needed help guarding his business against flooding.
"Absolutely it's sad, but it's given us a chance as a community to come together," he said. "Pumps, sandbags, plastic, good luck are all things that you need when when you're going against a battle this big for sure."
LeSueur Co. Emergency Management posted on Facebook more sandbagging operations will continue Sunday at the Waterville City Garage. More information can be found here.
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