City officials in central Idaho are warning residents to prepare for more flooding as muddy water continues to overwhelm neighborhoods in Bellevue and Ketchum.
Blaine County officials say the worst of the flooding is yet to come despite the region being plagued by encroaching rivers and tributaries for the past several days. That’s because warmer temperatures throughout the end of spring are expected to melt large amounts of snow in the mountain region.
The National Weather Service determines that flood levels are anything over a height of 6 feet, and the Big Wood River is projected to remain above around a height of 7 feet for the rest of the week.
Ketchum officials say the city expected to fill 3,000 sandbags Wednesday to give out to residents who need them, while the Blaine County Sheriff’s office has issued mandatory evacuations for residents west of Ketchum.
Meanwhile, acting Gov. Brad Little has declared a state of disaster emergency for Custer, Elmore and Gooding Counties, as overflowing rivers are flooding more communities in Idaho, caused by warm temperatures melting the above normal snowpack.
Wednesday’s action follows Sunday’s declaration of emergency due to flooding for Blaine County. 31 of Idaho’s 44 counties now have either a county or state emergency declaration.
Gov. Butch Otter is out of the state, leaving the Lieutenant Governor as acting governor. (AP)
