A local state of disaster was declared in St. Louis County Thursday as the extent of damage caused by significant flooding becomes more clear with each passing hour.
The St. Louis County Board called an emergency meeting to vote on the declaration and discuss the status of communities and locations impacted by Tuesday's deluge when some areas of the county received between 7 and 10 inches of rain in a matter of hours. The board unanimously approved the disaster declaration.
By declaring a state of disaster, St. Louis County can seeks emergency funding from both the federal government and the state of Minnesota.
County staff also created an online resource page for anyone impacted by the storm. The page includes a form for property owners to file damage reports with the county assessor, as well as a map with current road closures.
Board Chair Keith Nelson said he and other commissioners have already spoken with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and said he was told emergency funding "could flow pretty quickly." He said it is the worst disaster the county has seen since 2012, with estimates of damage already reaching the $50 million mark.
During the board's discussion, it became clear that the communities of Cook and Biwabik are likely the most impacted, with Cook suffering several million in damages alone. The Little Fork River is rising and reports say some people are unable to leave their homes. Deputies and first responders are doing door-to-door to check on residents, especially those who are elderly.
Commissioner Nelson described attempting to drive into Cook yesterday and being taken aback. "I almost couldn't believe what I saw."
“It’s just sheer devastation,” said Ryan Horner, who runs the 85-year old Comet Theater in downtown Cook that is covered with at least three feet of water. Inside the theater, Horner told Minnesota Public Radio that the water has filled the basement and is now more than chest deep at the bottom of the auditorium.
Near Lake Vermillion, the flooding cut off all the roads into Glenwood Lodge, meaning the only way into the fully booked resort is by boat right now.
“We’re stuck in here. We’re not going anywhere with a vehicle,” resort owner Billy Muelken said.
More than 40 roads across the county are impassable and have been closed, either covered by floodwaters or so damaged and washed out they cannot be driven on. County and city engineers and public works employees are out assessing damage and estimating repair costs Thursday while trying to prioritize which hot spots need immediate attention and which get placed on a back burner. "A bit of a whack-a-mole situation right now," said one official at the meeting, telling commissioners that as soon as they decide to work on one situation another one more dire pops up.
St. Louis County Public Works Director Jim Foldesi told reporters after the meeting that while the floods that devastated Duluth in 2012 is the benchmark for disasters, this one is the second worst in his 31-year career. He also cautioned that northeastern Minnesota isn't out of the woods yet, as forecasts are calling for significant rain over the next few days.
Foldesi and others at the meeting pleaded with residents and visitors not to drive on roads that have been closed due to flooding. Commissioner Mike Jugovich said people are ignoring closure and warning signs and getting stranded, putting themselves and first responders at risk.
“Please, it’s a safety issue. Stay out. We’re having cars stall. And the last thing we want is to have someone become a statistic because they didn’t follow the rules and stay out of areas that are blocked off.”
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