LANSING —April 20, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Iron and Marquette counties where residents have experienced severe flooding, making roads impassable. Both counties continue to experience high water levels due to significant snowmelt from a historic March snowstorm.
“This will help Marquette and Iron counties with ongoing recovery efforts,” Whitmer said. “As water levels across Michigan stabilize and drop, my administration will continue to work with local communities to get them what they need. I want to thank every first responder who stepped up to protect Michiganders and their property.”
Communities throughout the state have experienced prolonged rainfall, rapid snowmelt, straight-line winds, or tornadoes causing widespread flooding, elevated river levels, and damaged roads, homes and property.
Impassible roads have made rescue and evacuation operations difficult in many regions and multiple rivers throughout the state have continued to experience rising water levels, threatening the condition of various dams. Multiple first-responders and other personnel have been working around the clock to address these conditions across the state.
The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division is coordinating the state’s emergency response. MSP troopers are on the ground assisting local emergency response efforts.
An April 18 news release from MSP cautioned residents on basement entry and water removal precautions. It advised residents not to enter flooded basements if water is covering electrical outlets, cords are submerged or if there are signs of electrical activity such as sparks, buzzing, snapping or popping. “Do not touch electrical equipment in wet conditions or while standing in water,” read the release. “Turn off electricity at the main switch if it can be done safely.”
MSP warned that the collapse of flooded basements is possible when water is rapidly pumped from basements surrounded by saturated soils whose pressure exceeds the capacity of the basement walls.
“The weight of saturated soil applies pressure on the basement walls and floors and can cause them to buckle inward or collapse,” the release stated. “If water is allowed to enter the basement, the hydrostatic pressure becomes equalized, and the walls are much less likely to fail.”
MSP also advised residents not to walk, swim, or drive through floodwaters.
“Even six inches of moving water can knock a person down, and two feet can sweep away a vehicle,” according to MSP. “Avoid all contact with floodwater if possible. Move important items to higher floors if time allows and shut off utilities at the main switches if it is safe to do so.”
April 10, the governor activated the State Emergency Operations Center (and declared a state of emergency for Cheboygan County due to the threat of overtopping at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex, which remains in effect. April 14, Governor Whitmer elevated the SEOC activation to monitor weather-related events statewide. April 15, the governor expanded the state of emergency declaration to Alcona, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Barry, Benzie, Charlevoix, Clare, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Iosco, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Menominee, Missaukee, Montcalm, Montmorency, Newaygo, Oceana, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Osceola, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Shiawassee and Wexford counties. April 18, the state of emergency was expanded to include the counties of Eaton, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Mecosta, and Muskegon, and the cities of Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo.
By declaring a state of emergency, the governor has authorized the use of all available state resources to assist local response and recovery operations in the affected counties. The declaration also allows eligible communities to seek financial assistance under Section 19 of Michigan’s Emergency Management Act, Public Act 390 of 1976, as amended. The funding helps local governments cover emergency response costs and repair public infrastructure damaged by the storms.
More information is available at michigan.gov/miready/be-informed/floods.
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