Holy Shite look at Minot South Dakota

[malaise]

One quarter of the town has had to evacuate.
They are calling this a 500 year event.

http://www.startribune.com/local/124520763.html
<snip>

MINOT, N.D. - As the Souris River rose relentlessly beyond its banks and swept over levees on Friday, the people of Minot came together as North Dakotans do -- with fortitude, determined generosity and few words.

While more than 10,000 people were evacuated from areas ravaged by the worst flood in this city's history -- roughly a quarter of the population -- only 225 sought refuge in two shelters set up by the Red Cross.

Residents on high ground took in those from low. Some lent campers to the newly homeless. Others offered trucks and trailers along with their strong arms and backs to move evacuees' possessions to safe havens. With the state's oil boom and an influx of new workers, few, if any, apartments and hotel rooms could be found.


delete photo

[Electric Monk]

1. I blame Saskatchewan, fwiw

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/americas/rain-in-saskatchewan-causes-downstream-disaster-in-flooding-north-dakota-city/article2073979/?from=sec431

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Thursday again accelerated water releases from the upstream Lake Darling dam. Canadian authorities have been releasing water through those dams for weeks, inundating many low-lying, mostly rural parts of Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and North and South Dakota. Now the Souris river valley, a little-known channel that flows south from Canada without entering the Missouri River basin, is saturated, and the arrival of any more water could create an even larger disaster. Officials said the moves could raise the river up to 3 feet higher than earlier projections — or a whopping 6 1 / 2 feet above the record set more than a century ago — in a community where floodwaters already have reached several homes' first floors.

“The water is coming in deeper and faster than was expected,” North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple said.

Indeed, in just four days, the predicted release of water from the dam more than doubled — from 11,000 cubic feet per second to 29,000. National Weather Service hydrologist Steve Buan laid the blame on 4 to 6 inches of rain that fell last week in largely rural — and saturated — areas to the north.

[malaise]

2. Wow!

What a mess. I blame climate change.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. I blame the Corps of Engineers

[Swede]

5. If they don't release the water,the dams will rupture.

And out will flow the water,completely out of control.

[PufPuf23]

3. Is the Minot AFB at risk?

I do not know the area.

[malaise]

4. That's in North Dakota

but they are helping out in the south

http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/556042/National-Guard--Minot-AFB-members-in-the-flood-battle.html?nav=5010

[PufPuf23]

6. Thank you. My geography is fouled. ;o)

Visited Custer, SD and timberlands of the Black Hills once 25 years ago so now that familiar with that part of the USA.

I have been most cognizant of American military in Vietnam and post late 1990s initial PNAC Era.

My first thought was nuclear weapons at Minot AFD before which Dakota.

We have many domestic military installations at risk of natural disaster because of location.

[malaise]

7. Don't worry

I'm not much better :D

[scarletwoman]

8. Minot is in North Dakota, btw.

Check the dateline of the article in your post.

[malaise]

9. Good thing I pointed out that my geography isn't that good

:D

[scarletwoman]

14. Well, being a Minnesotan the Dakotas are neighbors, so I have the advantage of personal

acquaintance, so to speak.

:hi:

[ImNotTed]

10. Just remember: This has NOTHING to do with CLIMATE CHANGE!

:sarcasm:

[Swede]

12. Saskatchewan is having a one in five hundred year event,

maybe even one in a thousand year. Something is definately up.

[malaise]

13. We know - Pat Robertson has the answer

:rofl:

[JNelson6563]

15. A real catastrophe

But it sure is heart-warming to hear of how everyone is pitching in to help each other. I mean, when you get right down to it, that's all we've got is each other.

Here's to Each Other! :toast:

Julie

[malaise]

18. That's the good part of the American story

Neighbors and strangers help in emergencies.

[UpInArms]

16. graphic image warning :(

A home in the Hoge Island area of Bismarck, N.D., broke apart Wednesday as it was engulfed by Missouri River floodwaters.

more photos here

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/06/13/2948373/missouri-river-flooding.html

[malaise]

17. Too sad

:cry:

[recoveringrepublican]

19. My hometown. Nicest people I have ever known. My family and friends still there

are getting by though. Was told hardly any had to use government shelter, as most neighbors took others in. My cousin, his wife, and their kid, packed up their house (after just moving in!) and are praying for the best, though the pictures they are seeing of their street doesn't look all to hopeful. They are anxious, but not trying not to worry, as they know they will be taken care of by their family, friends, and neighbors.

I know ND gets a lot of crap, but that's because they are so isolated. Truly they are people that if one keeps their nose clean and works, hard, well just let us get to know you a little and we won't give a shit if you are black, white, gay, strait, etc. It has to be the most voluntarily socialist state in the country. Of course I am comparing it to freaking FL were I live, so what do I know! Putting down the 3rd glass of Merlot tonight!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

20. I went through North Dakota on the train in May

It was already quite flooded. The train picked up newspapers in Minot, and every article on the front page was about flooding in this county or flooding in that county. The area along the Amtrak route looked like a big lake, only there were buildings and fences in the middle of it. Sad.