UPDATE: 3:20 pm PST
🚨#BREAKING: Emergency officials are on high alert as a Minnesota dam is in imminent danger of critical failure ⁰⁰📌#Rapidan | #Minnesota
Currently, emergency officials and dam operators in Rapidan, Minnesota, are on high alert following recent heavy flooding of the Blue Earth… pic.twitter.com/SBUjh7Kh5Y
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) June 24, 2024
UPDATE: 2:10 pm PST
The Rapidan Dam near Mankato is in “imminent failure condition,” Blue Earth County officials warned Monday.
The west bank of the dam has already washed out, along with several nearby buildings, sending construction material and trees downstream, as the Blue Earth River continued to rise from rain and flooding.
“The dam could fail,” Eric Weller, Blue Earth County emergency management director, said Monday.
Rapidan Dam this morning. pic.twitter.com/u1iJJOftr0
— Jason Leary (@jasonlcvcmn) June 24, 2024
Video of Rapidan Dam in imminent failure condition
SkyFOX over Rapidan Dam in south central Minnesota. The dam is reported to be in imminent failure condition. The City of North Mankato is building an earthen levee as a precaution and to protect lower North Mankato.
MANKATO, Minn. (FOX 9) – The Rapidan Dam in south central Minnesota has suffered a partial failure but remains intact as of Monday afternoon.
Officials say the failure was on the west abutment. The river flow is being diverted along the west side.
Rapidan Dam intact, no evacuations ordered
There are no plans for any mass evacuations, officials say. Anyone who is in immediate danger from the Rapidan Dam has been notified, the sheriff’s office said. Below is a view of the dam at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday from FOX 9 reporter Rob Olson.
Monday morning, Gov. Tim Walz and state emergency response officials provided an update on the statewide flooding response and were asked about the situation at the Rapidan Dam.
“We are continuing to monitor the status of the dam with local officials,” said Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Kristi Rollwagen. “We were made aware of the situation about 4 a.m. this morning. We’re also looking at the communication cell towers in the area and working to get resources down there to support cellular communications. Right now the integrity of the dam is intact, but we will continue to monitor it and be aware of what’s going on.”
“I know the structural integrity of the dam has been a question for a long time,” Gov. Walz said. “The removal of the dam has been a question that’s been up there.”
