Bismarck  (CSi) On Friday, eighteen of North Dakota’s 53 counties and four tribal governments joined the conference call, with – Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, director of the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (NDDES), and Cody Schulz, North Dakota Homeland Security director, with emergency managers from across the state to determine if additional resources or capabilities are needed to respond to last weekend’s severe storms and heavy rainfall.

The conversation also focused on determining the extent of damages experienced by the affected jurisdictions and the upcoming recovery process.

Eight of those counties reporting impacts from recent weather events. The following counties participated in Friday’s call: Barnes, Cass, Foster, Grand Forks, Grant, Kidder, LaMoure, Mercer, Mountrail, Nelson, Oliver, Pembina, Sheridan, Steele, Stutsman, Traill, Walsh and Ward.

While local emergency managers have been working to contend with issues produced by oversaturation, no state resources have been requested at this time.

Recent heavy rains have inundated roads and left numerous residences with water in their basements in many areas. On Saturday, the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) and North Dakota Highway Patrol closed sections of highways in central North Dakota and on Interstate 29 near Grand Forks because of flooding. NDDOT also inspected and repaired a section of State Highway 200 in Wells County between Sykeston and Hurdsfield where a culvert had washed out. All of the affected roads are now open.

This weekend, with more rain being forecasted statewide, the NDDES will continue to monitor and coordinate with emergency managers regarding impacts and potential resource needs.