The governor of U.S. state of Montana, Greg Gianforte, on Tuesday declared a statewide disaster due to severe flooding in the state, Trend reports citing Xinhua.
"With rapid snowmelt and recent heavy rains, communities in south-central Montana are experiencing severe flooding that is destroying homes, washing away roads and bridges, and leaving Montanans without power and water services," said the governor, noting that the disaster declaration will help impacted communities get back on their feet as soon as possible.
Gianforte added that he had asked state agencies to bring their resources to bear in support of these communities impacted by the destructive flooding.
He also stated that Montana Disaster and Emergency Services continues to support local authorities in Carbon, Park, and Stillwater counties, as well as work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks on Monday closed the Yellowstone River in Park County to all recreational use due to public safety risks, according to the governor.
Gianforte said in a tweet that for the last 24 hours, the State Emergency Coordination Center has been working with partners in Carbon, Stillwater, and Park counties to evacuate, ensure shelter, and safely restore power and water in areas impacted by severe flooding.
"In addition to declaring a statewide disaster, we are pursuing an expedited presidential disaster declaration to help cover the costs communities face," he tweeted.
Authorities announced Monday that all entrances to the Yellowstone National Park, one of the largest and best-known national parks in the United States, will be closed due to heavy flooding, rockslides, and extremely hazardous conditions. The 8,991-square-kilometer wilderness recreation area, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho states, will remain closed to visitors through at least Wednesday.
"Due to record flooding events in the park and more precipitation in the forecast, we have made the decision to close Yellowstone to all inbound visitation," said Cam Sholly, the superintendent of the Yellowstone National Park, in a statement.
"Our first priority has been to evacuate the northern section of the park where we have multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides and other issues," said Sholly, adding that park officials "are working with the county and State of Montana to provide necessary support to residents, who are currently without water and power in some areas."
The superintendent also noted that visitors will be evacuated from the southern loop of the park due to anticipated higher flood levels and concerns with water and wastewater systems.
The U.S. National Weather Service in Billings, Montana warned "unprecedented flooding in South-Central Montana," noting that the combination of rain and snowmelt led to widespread, devastating flooding.
Local newspaper Helena Independent Record reported that torrential rains have washed out bridges, eroded roadways and prompted evacuations, and communities in and around the Yellowstone National Park are among some of the hardest hit.
Emergency responders in Stillwater County rescued 68 people from the Woodbine Campground and surrounding areas from the severe flooding in the region, reported KXLH-TV, the CBS affiliate for Helena, Montana on Tuesday, adding that emergency crews from across southern Montana worked to evacuate stranded residents, campers and workers in recent days.