Michigan Gov. Whitmer extends emergency center following rising statewide water levels
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the State Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday as water levels rise across the state.
The center was initially activated on Friday after heavy rain in Cheboygan caused water levels to rise along the river and the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex. Officials told residents to prepare for a possible evacuation.
"Protecting Michiganders and their property is our top priority," Whitmer said in a statement. "With already high water levels across the state and more rain in the forecast over the next few days, we are proactively extending our activation of the State Emergency Operations Center. This will ensure work continues around the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex to increase pumping capacity and place sandbags, but it also helps us deploy additional supplies to other areas of the state that may be at risk of flooding. We will keep monitoring the situation and supporting local communities with the resources they need to keep people safe."
The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division activated the Joint Information Center.
"The MSP stands ready to coordinate response efforts to protect our residents," said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP and state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. "We continue to support the response efforts happening at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex and have our MSP/EMHSD district coordinators working with local emergency managers across the state to make sure communities have the support and resources they need."
Meanwhile, a severe weather threat was predicted for Tuesday evening in Southeast Michigan. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for all of Southeast Michigan, effective 8 p.m. on Tuesday through late Thursday night.
