Global Strike Airmen affected by flood, evacuate

By Airman 1st Class Jessica McConnell, Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs / Published June 01, 2011

MINOT, N.D. -- Water rises toward the top of the river bank along the Souris River here June 1. In preparation for possible flooding, the city of Minot, with assistance from Airmen from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota National Guard as well as many other organizations, are setting up secondary dikes along the river. The Souris River threatens to break the levies already in place, thousands of Minot citizens, including military members, their families and DoD civilians, have been forced to evacuate the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Aaron-Forrest Wainwright)

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MINOT, N.D. -- Water rises toward the top of the river bank along the Souris River here June 1. In preparation for possible flooding, the city of Minot, with assistance from Airmen from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota National Guard as well as many other organizations, are setting up secondary dikes along the river. The Souris River threatens to break the levies already in place, thousands of Minot citizens, including military members, their families and DoD civilians, have been forced to evacuate the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Aaron-Forrest Wainwright)

MINOT, N.D.-- Members of Team Minot work together to prepare sandbags for the incoming floods here June 1. In preparation for possible flooding, the city of Minot, with assistance from Airmen from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota National Guard as well as many other organizations, are setting up secondary dikes along the river. The Souris River threatens to break the levies already in place, thousands of Minot citizens, including military members, their families and DoD civilians, have been forced to evacuate the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Aaron-Forrest Wainwright)

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MINOT, N.D.-- Members of Team Minot work together to prepare sandbags for the incoming floods here June 1. In preparation for possible flooding, the city of Minot, with assistance from Airmen from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota National Guard as well as many other organizations, are setting up secondary dikes along the river. The Souris River threatens to break the levies already in place, thousands of Minot citizens, including military members, their families and DoD civilians, have been forced to evacuate the area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Aaron-Forrest Wainwright)

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5th Bomb Wing - Minot Air Force Base

MINOT, N.D. -- Flooding caused by the springtime snow-melt , saturated ground and heavy rainfall led emergency management officials to evacuate more than 10,000 Minot residents, in areas near the Souris River in downtown Minot May 31, including more than 500 Airmen and families assigned here who live off-base.

According to the Minot Emergency Operations Center, the evacuation area affects about one quarter of the city's boundaries, including a large section of downtown Minot . Officials expect river levels to rise significantly by Thursday June 2. Rainfall over the past week has flooded the Minot area, which led to the closing of three bridges and a major roadway, Highway 52.

In response to the rising waters and evacuation of homes, Col. James Dawkins, 5th Bomb Wing commander, offered on-base emergency shelter to all Minot area Air Force Global Strike Command military members, DoD civilians and their families if they were unable to secure accomodations with friends or family,
Mayor Curt Zimbelman ordered mandatory evacuations to be completed by June 1, when the Souris River was expected to crest above flood stage. North Dakota Guardsmen were patrolling door-to-door on the evening of June 1 to ensure all residents within the flood zone were out of potential harm's way.

The Army Corps of Engineers reports that they will be joining forces with the City of Minot to aggressively to fight the flood using all available resources. They will be working on the existing and secondary dike systems, officials said.

Due to the heavy influx of evacuees at shelters downtown, base personnel are being encouraged to seek shelter with family or friends, if possible, officials said.

Pets were not being accepted allowed in on-base shelters but there alternative options were being madeavailable to pet owners in portions of the city not affected by the evacuation, according to officials..

Base members are being kept informed inpart by updates posted on Facebook and Twitter, according to the base public affairs office. In addition, the installation telephone hotline is passing along information at 723-1190.

Additional flood information is available at the Flood Hotline at 701-858-9366 or by visiting the North Dakota Department of Transportation website at www.dot.nd.gov.
In order to build dikes, several roads downtown were closed by officials. Residents are being encouraged to avoid main roads to allow for engineers and emergency personnel to the work flood issues.

Streets closed included:

16th Street Southwest underpass near Burdick Expressway
Fourth Street Northeast from Main Street to Railway Avenue
18th Street Southeast between Burdick Expressway and Eighth Avenue Southeast
Hiawatha from Valley Street to 11th Avenue Southeast
The area around Fourth Avenue and Seventh Street Northeast
Frontage road on north Broadway near MLT

Bridges closed at three locations:

300 block of Fourth Avenue Northwest, west of Sammy's Pizza
1000 block of Fourth Avenue Northwest near Oak Park
1000 block of Second Avenue Southwest

Motorists are being cautioned to treat intersections where traffic signals are not working or where red lights are flashing as four-way stop-sign intersections.

DoD members under evacuation orders are being reminded to contact their first sergeants or commanders for more information.

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