Minnesota rivers are rising by the hour, as cities and homeowners prepare for widespread flooding. But some cities are not only deal with sandbagging, they are also facing an influx of a different kind of visitor.
“You know, flood tourism is a real thing I’m discovering,” says Stillwater Mayor Ted Kozlowski.
Kozlowski is working to protect his city from the flood waters, and he says those flood tourists are both a blessing and a curse.
“How long they’re sticking around, are they having dinner or lunch, shopping, I don’t know,” Kozlowski says.
The St. Croix and other rivers in the state are spilling over their banks due to a high amount of snow and runoff. Governor Walz had this warning for anyone wanting to get too close to the action.
“If there’s a road close, do not drive around it,” Walz warns. “It may not look like the water is very high, but that’s the number one thing that gets people killed in these flooding events.”
Walz says the rivers are swollen and unpredictable and should be avoided to stay safe.
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