St. Louis County officials have declared a local disaster in Cook, opening the door for state and federal relief as city streets are underwater.

Gov. Tim Walz will be heading to the Iron Range on Friday to survey the damage.

The flooding is causing people to evacuate their homes until further notice and first responders are stretched thin and overwhelmed.
           
“It just kept coming and rising and rising and rising and we’re just like, ‘Where will this end?’” Steven Kajala, who works in Cook, said.

Kajala was stuck at work on Wednesday when a river was forming outside his window.

His office is in downtown Cook on River Street.

The Little Fork River is overflowing, causing road closures and heavy damage.

“The small businesses that have goods in there that they weren’t able to get out in time and the people who had to leave their homes without the ability to put everything up high and dry,” Kajala said.

Cook officials said flood water is backing up through the stormwater system and it will take several days for the water levels to recede.

The St. Louis County Rescue Squad said in a Facebook post that teams checked on trapped homeowners to get them out safely in chest-deep waters.

The St. Louis County Board called an emergency meeting declaring a state of local disaster.

Board leaders explained it’s difficult to assess the damage when they can’t see it.

“What has been most impressive to me is how people are coming together to work if it’s volunteer fire departments coming to help or neighbors helping with wet basements,” St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said in a meeting.

Natural disasters often find their way to St. Louis County, but residents won’t have to deal with the fallout alone.

“Cook is a very generous town if there’s people that need a hand, people will come to their aid,” Kajala said.

County leaders said another 2-3 inches of rain this weekend could make things worse.

Red Cross officials said they’re distributing water in Cook and Biwabik and shelter teams are on standby.

Residents are urged not to travel in areas where they see flood waters. It’s dangerous and can be a threat to your health and safety.

Farther north, in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, there’s concern about dozens of roads eroded by flooding.

The U.S. Forest Service is now closing at least eight entry points into the Boundary Waters. Those closures could last through the weekend and beyond.

“And the water now running off, basically overloading the culverts,” says Timothy Engrav, with the U.S. Forest Service, Superior National Forest. “We have canceled permits in those locations. We are recommending that visitors stay away from those, and we’re asking for patience as we wait for some of these waters to hopefully recede.”

A full list of closed roads, campgrounds and entry points is available here.