×

Trump issues disaster declaration

ST. PAUL (AP) — President Donald Trump has approved a disaster declaration for parts of Minnesota hit by severe storms and flooding from June 15 to July 11.

The area includes Faribault and Martin counties.

The declaration had been requested by Gov. Mark Dayton. It makes funding available to state, local and tribal governments and certain nonprofits for emergency work, repair or replacement of damaged facilities, and reducing risks from natural hazards.

The declaration covers 27 counties and three Indian reservations statewide.

The severe storms from mid-June to mid-July spawned heavy rain, widespread flooding, tornadoes and high straight-line winds. Dayton declared a state of emergency for 36 counties at the time.

The governor’s office says damage assessments in late July verified more than $21 million in eligible damages, nearly triple the federal threshold of $7.7 million.

Faribault County was drenched by heavy rains and subsequent flooding in late June.

The Blue Earth wastewater plant was inundated with water, lost power and had to discharge sewage and rainwater directly into the Blue Earth River.

County drainage ditches eroded. Farm fields were swamped. County and township roads were flooded or washed out. And hundreds of homes had flooded basements.

When Dayton visited Blue Earth in July, Faribault County emergency management director Lisa Frommie described the situation.

“Leading up to the weekend that started the 22nd of June we had had several days of rain, nothing torrential, but the ground was completely saturated,” she said. “And then on Sunday the 24th, we got anywhere between 4 and 7 inches, depending on the exact location, within about an hour and a half. Because the ground was so saturated, there was so much runoff, there was nowhere for it to go.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today