
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a Emergency in response to May flooding in Marquette County.
According to the statement, the floods had damaged roads as heavy rains hit the area.
The new state of emergency will free up resources as officials continue to deal with the damage.
“This statement ensures Marquette County has access to additional resources needed to maintain the health and safety of the community,” Gov. Whitmer said a press release.
Marquette County is located in the state’s Upper Peninsula. The flooding was concentrated in the small town of Ishpeming.
The state’s declaration of emergency comes as local officials have decided they do not have the resources to adequately repair the damage, the release said.
Flooding was spurred when rainfall hit a local record, the statement said, leading to flash flooding.
Flash floods and violent storms could become more common in many parts of the country as greenhouse gases raise the planet’s temperature. a recent study found.
With storms dumping more and more water in a short period of time, the landscape may not be able to catch up – leading to a rapid onset of flooding.
Recent flooding also hit Yellowstone National Park and its surrounding area and part of rural southwest Virginia last week.