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Global Strike Airmen affected by flood, evacuate

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jessica McConnell
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT, N.D. --  More than 10,000 Minot citizens, including Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and their families, were ordered to evacuate areas near the Souris River in downtown Minot May 31.

According to the Minot Emergency Operations Center, the evacuation area is said to be approximately one quarter of the city, which includes a large section of downtown Minot and is estimated to affect  more than 500 Airmen and their families living off base.

Minot Mayor Curt Zimbelman ordered mandatory evacuations as soon as possible but not later than June 1, when the Souris River was expected to crest above flood stage. North Dakota Guardsmen are projected to go door-to-door on the evening of June 1 to ensure all residents within the flood zone are out of potential harms way.

Officials expect river levels to rise significantly by June 2. Heavy rain over the past week has flooded the Minot area, which led to the closing of three bridges and Highway 52.

The Army Corps of Engineers will be working with the City of Minot in an aggressive flood fight using all available resources. They will be working on the existing and secondary dike systems.

Due to the heavy influx at shelters downtown, base personnel are encouraged to seek shelter with family or friends.

For those unable to secure accomodations with friends and family, 5th Bomb Wing commander, Col. James Dawkins, offered on-base emergency shelter to military members, DoD civilians and their families. Pets are not allowed in on-base shelters but there are alternative options available to pet owners in portions of the city not affected by the evacuation.

In order to build dikes, several roads downtown have been closed and alternate routes are required. Residents are encouraged to avoid main roads to allow for engineers and emergency personnel to the work flood issues.

The following streets are closed:

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 are closed at:

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 should 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 should contact their first sergeant and/or commander for more information.

For additional flood information call the flood hotline at 701-858-9366 or visit the North Dakota Department of Transportation website at www.dot.nd.gov.

Base members can also view updates on Facebook and Twitter at Minot AFB Public Affairs or by calling the installation hotline at 723-1190.