Gov. Walz, Senators Tour International Falls Flood Damage Saturday

The lawmakers toured the Emergency Operations Center, sandbagging sites, and various areas of flood damage.

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn.- On Saturday Governor Tim Walz and U.S. senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith got a first-hand look at the damage historic flooding has caused in International Falls.

The lawmakers toured the Emergency Operations Center, sandbagging sites, and various areas of flood damage.

Back in April the governor authorized the national guard to support emergency flood operations in northwest Minnesota, including personnel, equipment, and resources.

But as he saw the 50,000 sandbags being placed daily, and the anticipated millions that will need to be picked up, he said it’s not lost on the state government how much work still needs to be done.

“I think the biggest thing for the folks up here to know is that the state is in this to the very end,” said Walz, speaking to local and military officials in video shared with FOX 21 by the Rainy Lake Gazette.

“Senator Smith made that point and I do think River flooding is terrific, it’s terrible, but it’s usually much more short-run. Those of us that are seeing this lake flooding on this scale, keeping in mind it’s just stunning that it’s 172 days above flood in 1950,” the Governor said.

Meanwhile according to the Koochiching County Sheriff’s office, on Sunday the temporary evacuation check-in point moved from the Backus Community Center to the International Falls High School.

The Northeast Region Pet Sheltering Trailer has been brought in and can accommodate up to 50 pets in the hockey arena on the school campus to keep pets and owners together after evacuation.