[PHOTO UPDATES] Floodwaters Recede in Minot, North Dakota, Slow Recovery Expected

It may take weeks for thousands of displaced residents in Minot, North Dakota to reach their damaged homes.

The floodwaters, which reached a nearly record-breaking level of 1,561.7 feet above sea level, have been slowly receding, and the opening of three recovery centers in North Dakota were announced on Monday. Two centers will open in Minot, and one in Bismarck. Residents can register for disaster assistance online or by phone as well.

Josh Duhamel was named honorary chairman for the Minot Area Recovery Fund, helping the city and surrounding area with long-term needs as they recover from the flood.

I spent the first 22 years of my life in Minot and still have family living there, including my sister and her family who have lost their house to floodwaters, said 38-year-old Duhamel. Minot will always be home to me, and it breaks my heart to see the devastation the city and its residents are going through. People from Minot are strong and come together in a time of need, and I know they'll get through this. But with everyone's help, we can make it easier for them to restore their lives and the surrounding Minot area.

Around 4,000 homes have been reportedly flooded and over 12,000 people have been evacuated.

Water levels are predicted to peak in Sawyer and then Velva later Monday.