Gov. Tim Walz dispatched dozen of the troops to Oslo, situated on the Red River along the Minnesota-North Dakota border, the television station reported. The town of 300 people has two highways that lead in and out of the city, and both are closed.
"The river kind of makes an 'S' around the city itself," Spc. Corey Ward told KVLY. "The river almost completely surrounds the city with the way it meanders."
The Red River is expected to crest at 38 feet, just below record levels, WCCO reported.
National Guard troops are also in Austin, Minnesota, the television station reported. Walz visited the area Saturday to assess damage from a recent spring snowstorm.
Thank you to the @MNNationalGuard for taking me to tour storm damage around the Austin area today. As a former National Guardsman, I know the sacrifice you make to serve your state. pic.twitter.com/aA9lYZKO0m
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) April 13, 2019
Law enforcement rescued two drivers Friday, KVLY reported. In the morning, the driver of an SUV had to be rescued from the roof of the vehicle when it was swept away by floodwaters. The second one happened when a semitrailer carrying bird seed drove into a road covered by water, the television station reported.
About the Author