Dayton calls special session for flood relief

Published 9:37 am Thursday, August 23, 2012

ST. PAUL (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton on Wednesday called a special session for Friday so the Legislature can vote on a $167.5 million relief package for Duluth and other Minnesota communities ravaged by summer floods and other storm damage.

The package contains money to rebuild roads and other infrastructure, offer low-interest loans and other help to homeowners, and put up the state’s match for federal disaster aid after floods and windstorms hit northeastern Minnesota, central Minnesota, counties on the southeastern edge of the Twin Cities and north-central Minnesota in June and July.

Devastating flash floods swept through Duluth when 10 inches of rain fell over two days in mid-June, washing out entire roads, overwhelming storm drainage systems and killing 11 animals in the barnyard exhibit at the Duluth Zoo. The water moved south, flooding basements and prompting evacuations in Barnum, Thomson and Moose Lake. Less than a week earlier, windstorms and flooding caused extensive damage in central Minnesota and counties southeast of the Twin Cities.

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State emergency management officials have estimated that damage to public infrastructure will top $150 million. Some 1,700 homes sustained damage and few homeowners had flood insurance.

In early July, windstorms damaged power lines, trees and state parks in north-central Minnesota, but the damage wasn’t enough to qualify for federal aid.