UPPER PENINSULA, MICHIGAN — With the beautiful weather last week, many Michiganders enjoyed fresh air, sunshine and a taste of Summer to come. But for those in Gogebic and Houghton counties in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the warm weather brought rapid snow melt and flooding.
Due to the flooding, Gogebic and Houghton counties both declared a local emergency and requested that Governor Gretchen Whitmer declare a State of Emergency. On April 14, Governor Whitmer made the declaration and followed up on Monday the 17th by activating the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC).
“Today, I am activating our State Emergency Operation Center to coordinate an all-hands-on-deck response to help Michiganders impacted by snowmelt flooding in the Upper Peninsula,” said Governor Whitmer. “This action will ensure that first responders and emergency crews have access to resources they need as they work to protect lives and property. I want to thank everyone who has been working throughout the emergency to keep our neighbors safe.”
TV6-WLUC reported that in Gogebic, severe flooding caused a water main break in the city of Wakefield, leaving 17 homes without water.
“We had some flooding in the city of Ironwood, Ironwood Township, Marenisco, City of Wakefield, there’s some roads washed out in Watersmeet Township as well,” said Gogebic County Emergency Management and 911 Coordinator Heidi Derosso. “We had significant flooding in the Ironwood area that caused the roads to be closed.”
