Widespread flooding in North Dakota, mainly from the Red River, threatens an estimated 30,000 homes. The floodwaters are particularly dangerous, as they are ice filled. People or animals, overcome by these floods, won't survive long, and the situation could get a lot worse it seems.
More images here

Oh my goodness, they look awful.

Wow . This story was the top one of the morning news today here in the States. How devastating! As always in such dire things, it's heartening to see all those folks trying to purposefully to help each other (in this case, to evacuate or barricade). But also that "look" that becomes thematic on the faces of those stuck in the middle of such sutuations, too, seems everywhere. So helpless, and scared, and stricken to have to leave so much behind. Very sad.

Just thought I'd mention, there are two Red Rivers (that I know of) -- the flooding river is the Red River of the North separating North Dakota and Minnesota, the other is the Red River separating Texas and Oklahoma. According to newspaper reports, the highest flood recorded there was 40.something feet, and they have sandbagged up to 42 feet. Their Mayor has said they will go down fighting. Thousands have turned out to make sandbags, in fact they said they had to turn some away so many volunteered. This town of approximately 90,000 people (2000 US Census) certainly is fighting. Hope they win the battle and the river does not get to 43 feet.

This one's the Red River of the North, which flows northwards. There are some more good images here
The floodwaters are still rising, and could reach over 13 metres, exceeding anything for over a hundred years.

We share the Red River with our friends to the south. Since we are at the bottom of the Red River basin we get what Fargo gets a few weeks later. In 1997 we had the "Flood of the Century" when almost all of Southern Manitoba was under water, except for Winnipeg. Thankfully we were protected by the Winnipeg Floodway. A man made ditch around the city.
Read about it here: http://www.floodwayauthority.mb.ca/duffsditch_history.html


I hope and pray that the dikes hold for the people of North Dakota.

Argus, let's hope you are all safe when the water reaches you! It would appear the level of the water may have stopped rising. I'm glad they started sandbagging early, and listened to the forecasters. Update

*To add: I cannot begin to imagine filling 2.5 MILLION sandbags.

argus, if it's this high now, things don't look good for Manitoba further downstream. Is the ice out yet, at least?