Waterville, Minnesota — Waterville was one of the areas hardest hit by the flooding.
Gov. Tim Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard over the weekend. Flood prevention measures The Cannon River flows through Lake Tetonka and Lake Sakata, which surround the town, and by Monday afternoon, 44 troopers had gathered there to help pump water.
Waterville officials say this is the worst flooding the town has ever seen.Parts of the city are flooded after receiving between 14 and 18 inches of rain, with some areas worse off than others, with floodwaters reaching knee- to waist-high levels.
“It’s heartbreaking to see something like this,” Brandon Peterson said.
The only way down his street is by boat, and his family was evacuated on Friday as the waters rose rapidly.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before, and I never want to see anything like this again,” Peterson said.
He has flood insurance, but not all of his neighbors can say the same: A few blocks away, Gail Hildebrandt, whose house was elevated after the 2014 flood.
“It went up so quickly, it was unbelievable how quickly it went up,” Hildebrandt said.
Volunteers stopped by her house to lay sandbags, and as of Tuesday it appeared to be safe but she needed help evacuating.
“Their efforts are incredible. They are a team of millions of people,” she said of the volunteers who helped her.
Neighbors are now waiting for the water to recede so the lengthy cleanup process can begin.
“We’re hopeful that FEMA will step in and help fund some of the cleanup and rebuilding. We’ll clean up. We’ll be there for the people and they’ll be there for us,” Peterson said.