Floodwater as high as 5 feet — and rising — submerged parts of the central Michigan town of Midland on Wednesday, after days of heavy rain led to the failure of two dams and the evacuation of thousands of people.
The National Weather Service warned of “life-threatening” flooding as water levels of the Tittabawassee River in Midland, about 120 miles northwest of Detroit, reached historic levels and were expected to continue rising. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday called on the federal government to provide help to the state in responding to the flooding, which struck at a time when it is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic.
About 10,000 people have been evacuated in Midland County, Whitmer said, after days of heavy rain caused the river to overflow and breach the Edenville and Sanford dams.
The extreme flooding comes as the state struggles with the coronavirus pandemic, which could further strain resources and hamper the response to the crisis.
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