SLAYTON, Minn. - Torrential rains are triggering significant flooding in parts of southwestern Minnesota Tuesday morning, forcing evacuations around a popular Murray County lake.
Emergency Management spokesperson Christy Riley says parts of Murray County received between 9 and 11 inches of rain from a system that hung over them all morning. "This storm was not predicted, and we were already saturated," Riley explained, referring to rain last week that caused significant flooding. Fortunately, she said, there were no tornados or other violent weather associated with the storm system.
Riley says emergency personnel are out in the communities most impacted by the deluge, and she expects to have numbers on flooded houses and damage estimates some time this afternoon.
A Murray County dispatcher tells KARE 11 that deputies were out at Lake Shetek and nearby Lake Sarah this morning helping some residents escape the rising floodwaters that followed more than 7 inches of rain in a short amount of time. The community of Currie is nearby, and Murray County Assistant Emergency Management Director James Reinert says there are numerous reports of homes being flooded. Currie had received 7.1 inches of rain as of 8 a.m. and it was still pouring.
The Red Cross is setting up an assistance center in the 4H building at the Murray County Fairgrounds in Slayton to provide food, shelter, and other forms of help for those who have been displaced.
PHOTOS: SW MN flooding
Reinert says that the ground was already saturated before Tuesday's rain event, and there is nowhere for the water to go. Farm fields are swamped, which means an entire season of crops could be lost for some farmers. Sandbags placed after flooding last week are proving no match for the rising water, which is fillilng up basements in many parts of the country. "Not too many people have not been touched (by the situation)", Reinert said.
For Chrissy LeClaire and her husband, the water troubles came not from the basement but the roof. The LeClaires are hosting family for their annual Independence Day celebration and went to bed before midnight Monday. About four hours later Chrissy awoke to a crack, and the plaster ceiling falling down on their heads. Sure enough, the rain was coming so hard that it breached the roof and soaked the plaster beneath, causing it to collapse.
Every Murray County deputy available has been called in to handle the emergency, and personnel from Pipestone County have also been called in. Numerous local and county roads are closed and under water, as are sections of State Highways 59 and 14. MnDOT has issued a No Travel Advisory for all parts of Murray County.
The following roads are currently closed in southern MN:
- Highway 91 between 151st Street and 211th Street north of the Lake Wilson area
- Highway 59 at 191st Street near Lake Shetek
- Highway 19 at the intersection of CR 5
- Highway 14 from Tracy to Walnut Grove
MnDOT also urges motorists to be aware and drive with caution in Lyon County and Redwood County as roads are flooded. All other roads are open, but may be under water. Emergency officials are currently assessing the situation and will provide updates, including road closures, as information becomes available.
A gauge on the Redwood River outside of Redwood Falls indicates that the river has risen six feet since 2 a.m. Tuesday.
In addition to the counties previously mentioned, city streets in Marshall are also under water. The City of Marshall asks that residents drive carefully. The situation is being assessed and updates will be provided as they become available.