Thursday, June, 21, 2012

As residents of Duluth, Minnesota assess the damage from flooding caused by historic rainfall, areas to the south continue to fight rising waters.

Gov. Mark Dayton toured the northeastern Minnesota city this morning and says state aid is a certainty and federal aid likely.

Duluth's mayor estimates $50 million to $80 million in damage to public infrastructure alone.

Dayton says it's remarkable no deaths or injuries have been reported in Minnesota. Three people died in crashes in Wisconsin after heavy rain washed away a 50-foot stretch of highway.

Floodwaters continue flowing to the south and east. Moose Lake, a town of about 2,900 people 40 miles southwest of Duluth, has declared a state of emergency. The state's Department of Public

Safety characterized the town as "an island."

The National Weather Service says over 7 inches of rain fell on Duluth Tuesday and yesterday, breaking a two-day record that dated
to July 1909.