Koochiching Co. Sheriff: Roads Closing Due to Rainy Lake Flooding; Some Int’l Falls Residents Should Evacuate
According to the Sheriff's Office Facebook page, the evacuation is currently voluntary, but anyone choosing to stay home must find other transportation.
INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn.- The Koochiching County Sheriff’s Office asked that International Falls residents prepare to evacuate, as historic flooding of Rainy Lake forced the closure of County Road 135 and Town Road 225 Friday.
According to an alert from the Minnesota Integrated Alert and Warning System or IPAWS shared on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page, County Road 135 closed at 1:00 p.m. Friday, and Town Road 225 closed at 2:00 p.m “due to rising lake levels.”
According to the Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page, the evacuation is currently voluntary, but anyone choosing to stay home must find other transportation.
Residents of Rainy Lake up by the Canadian border have not seen water levels like this since 2014, and concerned property owners are having to sandbag around their homes to prevent water from coming in.
A Temporary Evacuation Point has been set up at the Backus Community Center located at 900 5th Street, International Falls, MN for residents in need.
Below is a list of items the Sheriff’s Office said evacuees must bring to the shelter.
