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American Morning

Midwest Begins Evacuations in Preparation for Floods

Aired April 12, 2001 - 11:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: We'll move on to another part of the country. In the upper Midwest, storms have been dumping rain on already swollen rivers there as folks in the Dakotas and Minnesota really prepare for the worst at this point.

So we're joined on the phone right now by Ken Sheldon. Ken lives in Watertown, South Dakota. And he and his wife have already evacuated their home near Lake Kampeska. Ken, thanks so much for being with us.

KEN SHELDON, WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA RESIDENT: I'm here.

STOUFFER: Well, where are you now? Why did you decide to leave your home?

SHELDON: We decided to live little early because my wife is handicapped. She has a broken leg and cannot walk. And we need to use a wheelchair and didn't want to have an emergency situation in the middle of the night.

STOUFFER: Well, we have just incredible video of all the ice. Can you describe for us what it looks like where you are?

SHELDON: Well, the lake is still frozen, completely frozen over, just a few places that are open. It looks ugly. It's gray.

And people around the lake -- it's about 14 miles around the lake -- 800 homes, some of them have already been inundated with the water. And people have had to evacuate. Others are still holding on, hoping that sandbagging and so on will save them.

STOUFFER: And I know that the latest projections for this lake are that it's supposed to crest midmorning tomorrow. What about your home in particular? You said some homes have already hit by this water. What about yours?

SHELDON: Our home has not been hit yet, although if it goes up beyond 65 inches above full, we will have the water in our property. And we did in 1997. We had some damage, about $16,000 in damage, from that flood. And if it's as bad this time, it will probably be worse.

STOUFFER: Wow. We also mention that some people in your neighborhood are hanging on staying there. What would you say to them? Is that a good idea? SHELDON: Well, it's hard to find a place to go. And they're just living on hope I believe. And there is some encouragement that maybe the crest will be less than it was in 1997 and a lot of homes will be able to stay above that level.

STOUFFER: That would be good. We will be pulling for you. Ken Sheldon, I hope you and your wife are well and you get through this OK. Thanks for being with us.

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