Federal agency to assess Minnesota flood damage

Published 10:06 am Monday, June 30, 2014

MINNEAPOLIS — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will begin compiling its preliminary damage assessment of flooding in Minnesota on Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said.

The agency’s assessment will take about a week, Klobuchar said Sunday. The assessment starts the process of bringing federal help to the state and counties with public infrastructure damage.

The National Weather Service said 2014 has been the wettest year on record in the Twin Cities, with 25.82 inches of precipitation. That far surpasses the old record of 22.2 inches set in 1965.

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Through Sunday, rainfall for June measured 11.35 inches at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. That’s just 0.32 inches short of the record 11.67 inches that fell in 1874, meteorologist Chris Franks said.

Meanwhile, heavy rain Friday caused part of the roof of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Morris in western Minnesota to collapse. Officials say no one was hurt.

Around Prior Lake southwest of Minneapolis, water levels came within 1.5 inches of the lake’s 1907 record, 907.6 feet above sea level, Mayor Ken Hedberg said.

Hedberg said he waded through two neighborhoods Sunday that still have flooded streets.

“People told me they are in pretty good shape,” Hedberg said. “They walk through the water to their homes or stay with friends. I feel we are in pretty good shape given the circumstances.”

About 60 homeowners, many who have dealt with backed-up drains or wet basements, have sandbagged and two residents have evacuated their homes, Hedberg said.