UPDATE: Situation in Duluth
The State Patrol is now assisting with traffic control in Moose Lake, which has become an island, surrounded by flood water. Mercy Hospital and Augustana Mercy Health Care Center in the city of Moose Lake are engaged in contingency planning up to and including evacuation if necessary.
Authorities in Willow River in Pine County are evacuating residents.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT ) is reporting three new road closures on Highway 73. I-35 from Carlton and Mahtowa is open. A complete list of road information is listed below.
Gov. Mark Dayton and Commissioners of Public Safety Mona Dohman and Transportation Tom Sorel toured Duluth this morning to determine what state assets are needed to assist in the recovery.
Evacuations
200 residents of the Fond du Lac neighborhood of Duluth remain displaced.
40 residents in the Thomson area are displaced.
Evacuation sites
The Red Cross reports 185 residents took shelter last night in the following centers:
Fond du Lac Ojibwe School
Scanlon Community Center
Laura MacArthur Elementary
The Salvation Army is providing meals.
Department of Corrections (DOC): A work crew of 18 offenders and two staff from the Willow River Challenge Incarceration Program are sandbagging in Moose Lake at the request of the city.
Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
The DNR reports there are two groups of campers stranded at Savanna Portage State Park. The seven campers are in contact with park staff and have food and supplies.
The DNR has closed the following state parks at least through the weekend:
Jay Cooke
Savanna Portage
Campground at Moose Lake.
Other temporary closures include:
The Willard Munger State Trail from Carlton to Duluth is closed until further notice due to washouts.
Cuyuna County State Recreation Area, where the mountain bike trails and Miner's Mountain Road are, are closed.
Hill Annex Mine State Park, where tours are, are cancelled for today and questionable for the weekend.
For updates on the status of these and other parks and trails visit www.mndnr.gov or call the DNR information Center at 651-296-6157.
Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT )
MnDOT is relocating employees and resources from across Minnesota to help with flood response.
New closures
Hwy 73 north of Cromwell
Hwy 73 at County Rd. 61 at south end of Moose Lake
Hwy 73 and 27, west of Moose Lake at the exit, closed, under water
Updated road openings
Interstate 35 northbound between Hwy 210 and Mahtowa
Highway 2 from Iron Horse Bar and Grill to the golf course
Continued Road Closures
Interstate 35 southbound between Hwy 210 and Mahtowa, detour in place
Hwy 2 from Floodwood to Brookston
Hwy 2 from I-35 to Boundary Avenue in Proctor
Hwy 23 from Hwy 39 in New Gary Duluth to just south of the St. Louis River in Fond Du Lac, completely closed evacuating the community.
Hwy 33 at milepost 9 near Independence
Hwy 61 at Knife River, detour in place
Hwy 65 eight miles south of McGregor, under two feet of water, detour in place.
Hwy 73 west of Moose Lake
Hwy 200 between Hwy 2 and Hwy 65, open to local traffic only
Hwy 210 from Carlton to Duluth (through Jay Cooke State Park)
Hwy 210 four miles east of McGregor, detour in place
Due to flooding, travel is not advised until conditions improve and MnDOT crews can make progress to recover roadways.
For updated information, call 511 or visit www.511mn.org.
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