CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The Latest on flooding in Wyoming (all times local):
3:55 p.m.
The Wyoming National Guard is sending more help to Worland to assist in fighting floodwaters on the Bighorn River.
When the new soldiers and airmen arrive Tuesday, guard spokeswoman Deidre Forster says there will be about 90 guard personnel deployed in the Worland area.
About 70 guard members were sent to Worland over the weekend after the Bighorn River rose about 5 feet above flood stage, forcing the evacuation of about 100 homes.
Officials say melting snow and ice jams on the river are causing the flooding. The ice jams are unpredictable and it could be days before the river returns to within its banks.
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2:20 p.m.
Inspectors from the Wyoming Department of Transportation will be monitoring bridges over the Bighorn River for any possible damage from ice jams and high water.
WYDOT District Engineer Pete Hallsten says ice was still stuck against some bridges Monday.
The ice jams caused the river to swell nearly 5 feet over flood stage this past weekend, forcing the evacuation of about 100 homes in Worland.
Hallsten says inspectors will be checking all the bridges over the Bighorn where flooding occurred to make sure they are structurally sound.
WYDOT crews also have been supporting efforts to control the flooding by hauling sand, sandbags and concrete barriers to areas threatened by flooding.
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10:30 a.m.
A National Weather Service meteorologist in Riverton says the flooding in central and northern Wyoming this past week is unusual for this time of year.
Al Ross says in his 20 years he’s never seen flooding this bad in the middle of February.
He says a combination of heavy snowfall over the last few months, a rapid warmup in the last week and frozen ground and rivers caused flooding in Fremont and Washakie counties. More than 100 homes were evacuated over the weekend in Worland because of high water.
Ross says the current flooding danger could persist for another two or three days in parts of Wyoming.
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10 a.m.
The flooded Bighorn River has started receding at Worland where more than 100 homes were evacuated over the weekend.
A rapid snowmelt and ice jams sent the river nearly 5 feet above flood stage over the weekend. The National Weather Service says the river had dropped about 3 feet by Monday morning.
Kelly Ruiz of the state Homeland Security Office says some evacuated homeowners are being allowed to retrieve belongings if the water has receded from their homes.
Ruiz says she doesn’t yet have any specifics on homes or businesses damaged.
She says with the situation stabilizing in Worland the concern now is with the Greybull and Manderson areas downstream in neighboring Big Horn County.
About 60 National Guard troops and a dozen firefighters are deployed to the area.
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9:40 a.m.
Residents along the Bighorn River in northern Wyoming are battling major flooding with the help of National Guard troops and others.
The flooding began over the weekend when warm temperatures melted snow and ice jams caused water to back up.
More than 100 homes were evacuated in Worland.
Kelly Ruiz of the state Homeland Security Office says about 60 guard troops are deployed to the Worland area to help with sandbagging efforts. Another dozen personnel who normally fight forest fires in the summer are heading to neighboring Big Horn County.
Ruiz says she doesn’t yet have any specifics on homes or businesses damaged.
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