The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is increasing the flow of water from a South Dakota dam into the Missouri River. Around 300 residents of Craig, Missouri have been ordered to evacuate by this afternoon as 160-thousand cubic feet of water per second begins rushing toward the town today. Concerns about regional levees being overtopped have forced around 600 people in Freemont County, Iowa to evacuate as well.
The Missouri River has already reached historic highs in northwest Missouri. Meanwhile, it's a waiting game in North Dakota as a wall of water released from Canadian reservoirs continues rushing through the Souris River Valley. Nearly twelve thousand Minot, North Dakota residents have evacuated.
The last time Minot, population 40,000, was hit by a major flood was in 1969. On Wednesday, the Souris, also known as the Mouse River, was slightly higher than it was then, and it is expected to rise another 8 feet before it crests next week.
This is the third straight year North Dakota has faced floods. Its ground and aquifers were already saturated before the torrential downpours of recent months. This year the swollen Missouri River threatens the capital of Bismarck, as well as South Dakota's capital, Pierre, and Omaha farther downstream.
Here's a look at some of the latest photos from the disaster: