Here Comes More Water ... the Souris River

Photo: Kim Fundingsland/MDN

Is that Tzuris?*

No, it's Souris, North Dakota

Disastrous.

Unstoppable.

Historic.

Unprecedented.

All words used to describe what city, county and state officials warn is an imminent assault on all residents of the Souris River Valley.

12,000 to be evacuated

Crest could be 10 feet higher than June 1

"The numbers were crunched for several hours at the NWS Hydrologic Forecast Center in Chanhassen, Minn., Monday. What they came up with was an initial high of 1,564.3 feet at Minot's Broadway Bridge by Saturday. As early as Thursday evening the river is projected to surpass its all-time high of 1,558 feet. Those numbers, astronomical in terms of flows in the Souris, only reflect the initial blow to be dealt the city and is subject to further increase as the situation develops and hydrologic outlooks project further into the future."

"Mandatory evacuations were ordered Monday for all evacuation zones within Minot. Mayor Curt Zimbelman said all affected residents and businesses must vacate those areas no later than 10 p.m. Wednesday. Within minutes of the announcement residents once again began the laborious and hastened work of moving out of their homes for the second time this year. "It's a sad day in Minot," Zimbelman said at the end of a press conference Monday."




* tsuris in Yiddish = troubles, see English words of Yiddish origin