Heavy Rains Flood Fargo Streets, Homes

People struggled through flooded streets and homes Tuesday to rescue their belongings after a night of heavy rain left the city looking like a watery maze.

The city got about 7 inches of rain in a six-hour period from Monday night into Tuesday, said Mayor Bruce Furness, who declared a state of emergency Tuesday morning. There were no reports of injuries, but there were plenty of waterlogged streets, homes and businesses.

“There’s nothing left. Clothes, personal stuff, pictures--things that couldn’t be replaced. It’s all under water now,” said Debbie Poitra, whose basement-level apartment in south Fargo was filled with 6 feet of water.

Poitra said the water started pouring in late Monday night. She and her husband tried to bail out the apartment with a 13-gallon garbage container, but nothing could keep the water back.

“[It] just took over everything,” she said.

The Fargodome, the city’s major arena, had about 6 feet of water on its main floor, executive director Paul Johnson said. Water came in the back loading dock area, and tables, turf and other equipment was under water. Damage to the dome was estimated to be at least $1.5 million.

Parts of Interstate 29 were closed around Fargo, and streets were filled with stalled vehicles.

Fargo’s operations director, Dennis Walaker, said it would take at least until today for the city’s sanitary sewer system to recover from what he called a 100-year rain.

Sherry Estes stood on a sidewalk near a flooded street Tuesday with her parrot, waiting for a bus to take her to a motel. She said water started coming up out of her toilet and bathtub late Monday night after the sewer system backed up.

She spent the night in the hallway of her apartment building.

“I have been totally depressed,” she said.