How will the rising waters of the Red River in North Dakota affect the City of Fargo?
Fifteen helicopters from the U.S. Northern Command along with active-duty military personnel are being sent to Fargo, North Dakota, to assist the state as it prepares for record flooding, a U.S. military official told CNN. The military personnel being sent to Fargo are from a “contingency response force” made up of active-duty troops, the official said. Above-freezing temperatures, followed by heavy rains this week, caused the Red River to swell and surpass its 1897 record of 40.1 feet early Friday morning. The swollen river threatened to rise further as the city’s mayor vowed to “go down swinging. “Right now, we think the river is beginning to crest,” said Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker. “As long as we stay under 42 feet, I think we got a chance; if we go over 42, there’s going to be some more evacuations.” As of 8:15 p.m., the river churned at 40.78 feet, nearly 22 feet above flood stage and almost a foot above the previous record of 40.1 feet, set in 1897. Sources:
Flooding in the city of Fargo because of the Red River will affect everyone who lives there. It will destroy homes and items that people have in the homes. It will close businesses and make it difficult for people to make money while the natural disaster is there. The Red River’s rising waters represents a catastrophe for the people of Fargo. Sources: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/weather/03/27/north.dakota.flooding/index.
