2022 Montana floods

2022 Montana floods
Flood damage in Red Lodge on June 14
DateJune 13, 2022 – June 24, 2022
LocationMontana, Yellowstone National Park
Deaths1
Property damage$29 million

In June 2022, the U.S. state of Montana was hit by heavy, damaging floods in multiple major watersheds including the Yellowstone River.[1] Heavy rain and melting snow over the weekend June 10–13 caused large areas of Yellowstone National Park to be evacuated.[2] On June 14, the water plant in Billings was temporarily shut down.[3] Many houses were damaged as a result, and a number of roads and bridges were destroyed by floodwaters.[4]

The National Weather Service said that heavy rain on top of melting mountain snow pushed the Yellowstone, Stillwater and Clarks Fork rivers to record levels and triggered rock and mudslides. The Montana National Guard said that 87 people had been airlifted by helicopter to safety.[5] Cities and towns affected include Gardiner, Fromberg, Livingston, Red Lodge.[6] On Monday, June 13 Governor Greg Gianforte verbally authorized Lt Governor Kristen Juras to declare a state of emergency.[1][7] Governor Gianforte was vacationing in Italy, and returned Thursday, June 16.[8] On June 16, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Montana.[9]

On June 18, it was reported that heavier flooding is expected to reach Billings and other areas in Eastern Montana.[10] The flooding so far has reportedly caused $29 million in damage.[11]

  1. ^ a b "Acting governor Juras signs disaster declaration with Gianforte out of country". Montana Public Radio. June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  2. ^ "Parts of Montana and Yellowstone Park are submerged by flooding". Sky News. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  3. ^ "Billings". Billings. Archived from the original on June 20, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  4. ^ Hanna, Jason; Vera, Amir; Wolfe, Elizabeth; Williams, David; Afshar, Paradise. "Parts of Yellowstone National Park may stay closed for 'substantial length of time' after severe flooding". CNN. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  5. ^ "87 people rescued in Montana as severe flooding leaves Yellowstone "dramatically" changed". CBS News. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  6. ^ "Yellowstone National Park closes entrances, residents evacuate Red Lodge as floods sweep across Montana". Montana Public Radio. June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  7. ^ Prevost, Ruffin (June 15, 2022). "Rare Yellowstone closure from historic floods spells hardship for 'gateway' towns". Reuters. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  8. ^ "Montana governor was vacationing in Italy when his state was flooded". NBC News. June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  9. ^ "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Montana". FEMA.gov. June 16, 2022.
  10. ^ "Yellowstone: Historic floods could reach eastern Montana". BBC News. June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  11. ^ "Montana governor vacationed in Italy while Yellowstone faced catastrophic flooding that caused $29 million in damage". Yahoo! News. June 18, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.