ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 24 (UPI) -- Two days of heavy, steady rain saturated large parts of the Minnesota River Valley, closing bridges and schools, and placing southern Minnesota on flood alert.
Rainfall totals ranged from a few inches in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area to nearly a foot in some southeast Minnesota cities, as rivers and streams rose rapidly, swamping both streets and vehicles, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Friday.
Officials were watching gauges along rivers throughout the state as they were expected to reach major flood stage by the middle of next week, the newspaper said.
"There is still uncertainty on how quickly the water will move through the Minnesota River Valley ... which is a main driver for the rises expected on the Mississippi River system," the National Weather Service said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty declared a state of emergency Thursday because of the rain and flooding.
UPI
