Montana, North Dakota Homes Evacuated Amid Flooding From Rapid Snowmelt
- Dozens of Montana and North Dakota homes were evacuated along the Yellowstone River.
- The flooding occurred after a rapid snowmelt.
- Anticipating more flooding this spring, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum declared a statewide flood emergency.
- About 50 people were evacuated from a South Dakota reservation.
Snowmelt flooding has prompted the evacuation of dozens of homes along the Yellowstone River in western North Dakota and eastern Montana.
About 50 homes were evacuated Tuesday near Cartwright, North Dakota, home to about 150 people, and Fairview, Montana, home to about 850.
The flooding also forced the closure of Highway 200 between the two towns, the Associated Press reported.
In White Horse, South Dakota, dozens of people were evacuated from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation as the Moreau River rose.
According to the Argus Leader, about 50 people were evacuated, some by helicopter.
"The flooding has been caused by rapid snowmelt in western North Dakota and eastern Montana over the past 10 days," said weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce. "The melting snow wasn't able to soak into the frozen ground which has caused rivers to become swollen and triggered some ice jams."
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With more flooding expected in the coming weeks from continued spring snowmelt, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum declared a statewide flood emergency Wednesday after visiting the impacted area with other emergency officials, the Bismarck Tribune reports.
“All signs point to a high potential for significant floods that could overwhelm local response capabilities across the state, and the devastating flooding we saw along the Yellowstone River shows just how quickly these situations can arise,” Burgum said. “This emergency declaration is an essential step in making sure that state personnel and equipment are available and ready to respond."
Area residents Jack and Jackie Damm told the Bismarck Tribune their farmstead is under 4 to 5 feet of water for the first time in the 70 years the property has been in the family.
“We’ve never flooded before,” Jack Damm said. “It came up so quick. We had about three hours to get out what we co
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https://weather.com/news/news/2019-03-28-montana-north-dakota-homes-evacuated-flooding