As communities in northwestern Minnesota continue to recover from severe spring storms, Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Executive Council today extended the peacetime emergency and Minnesota National Guard assistance for emergency flood operations authorized in Emergency Executive Order 22-08. At an emergency meeting of the Minnesota Executive Council, which comprises the Governor, Secretary of State Steve Simon, Auditor Julie Blaha, and Attorney General Keith Ellison, the Council voted unanimously to extend this important relief for Minnesotans.
“Minnesotans have always stepped up to support their neighbors in times of trouble,” said Governor Walz. “I am grateful to the Minnesota National Guard for their commitment to ensuring that our communities impacted by severe storms continue to receive the support they need to stay safe and recover.”
Beginning on April 23, 2022, a severe spring storm system with very heavy rains and strong winds caused flash flooding across northwestern Minnesota. Flooding on the Red Lake River at Crookston closed local roads and threatened vital facilities, including a fire station and a housing development. Governor Walz signed Emergency Executive Order 22-08, declaring a peacetime emergency and authorizing the Minnesota National Guard to provide support for emergency flood operations, including personnel, equipment, and resources.
Several counties have declared local emergencies and activated their emergency operations plans. The Polk County sheriff and emergency manager have requested that the Minnesota National Guard assist with emergency sandbagging, patrol of flood protection systems, and potential evacuation operations.
