The City of Cannon Falls will spend the weekend dealing with the devestation wrought by Thursday’s powerful storms. Massive amounts of trees have yet to be cleared and staying clear of downed power lines was the priority as residents and business owners struggled to clear the debris. Emergency responders sent out messages about non-residents flocking to the town to see for themselves, causing a strain on an infrastructure already severely tested.
A triage center was set up in the local high school and Police Chief McCormick took to social media to ask that donations be made to a number of agencies and programs that serve the community, including the local food shelf. McCormick noted that the sanitary sewer system was without power for 10 lift stations that limited the capacity of operation necessary to prevent a backup of the system. Clean up will likely continue for weeks and the top priority continues to be the prevention of additional impact by improper use of generators, exposure to falling trees and branches and visitors that impede the work the remains to be done. Conservation of water is also necessary and the chief advised those who can relocate temporarilly to do so if their property is secured. For those in need of emergency assistance from the Red Cross should call 1-844-878-9933.
