DETROIT (WWJ) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for Wayne County in response to the county's request for state assistance following heavy rainfall and flooding in the area this week.
Whitmer will formally sign the declaration Friday morning.
"I want to commend the first responders, volunteers and residents who have pulled together to respond to the devastation caused by the damaging rain and flood waters," Whitmer in a press release. "The state is committed to do all it can to speed the recovery of the affected communities in Wayne County."
By declaring a state of emergency, all state resources will be available in cooperation with ongoing local recovery efforts. The declaration authorizes the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (MSP/EMHSD) to coordinate state efforts above and beyond what MSP/EMHSD has already been doing in conjunction with local agencie, according to Whitmer's office.
The flooding has left much of Metro Detroit in recovery mode. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan asked the community to help fill sandbags throughout the weekend to help prevent further flooding.
The Southfield Freeway reopened Thursday night at Outer Drive after being closed for more than a full day. At its peak, officials said the water was nearly 14 feet deep under the Outer Drive overpass.
"My staff has been working with Wayne County officials since the heavy rains struck the area earlier this week," said Capt. Emmitt McGowan, deputy state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and commander of the MSP/EMHSD. "We will continue to partner with the county to ensure they receive the needed resources to respond and recover from this incident."
Wayne County officials formally requested assistance on Thursday after the heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The county declared a local state of emergency on Thursday, activating local emergency response and recovery plans. By requesting the governor's declaration, the county has determined local resources are insufficient to address the situation and state assistance is required to protect the health, safety and property to lessen or avert the threat of a crisis.
A flood watch remains in effect until Friday at 10 a.m. The rain on Thursday night was not expected to be too heavy, but with existing conditions, officials with the National Weather Service said flooding of areas with poor drainage is possible.
Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest on the flooding. >>> LISTEN
