Red River Flood of 1997

The Red River Flood of 1997
April 18, 1997

The Camrud family of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and countless others like them were evacuated from their homes at 4:00 A.M. on the morning of April 18, 1997. The Red River had overflowed its banks, and their neighborhood was in the process of being flooded.

The neighborhood's kindness is reflected in the gestures of its individuals (courtesy of Disaster Relief).

The Camruds were not alone in their misfortune. Most of the Red River Valley was hit hard by the melted snow and water that the river spilled over its banks. In some places the river expanded from its usual 300 feet to up to 20 miles in breadth.
The entire region was declared a federal disaster area, but the water eventually crested at about 38 feet above flood stage. When all the flooding was over, the only option was for the victims to grab what little they had been able to salvage and begin the process of recovery.

The community gathers to face a daunting task like sandbagging (courtesy of Disaster Relief).
Fortunately, the recovery was by no means a solitary effort, and everyone lent a hand. The following are just a few of those "hands":

House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota and World Vision worked for 3 and 1/2 hours scrubbing a basement so well that some layers of paint came off in the process.

The Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau put on a free concert for thousands and gave children stuffed animals and the chance to have their faces painted.

An anonymous California woman pledged $2,000 for every family affected by the flood.

One witness said that in Pembina, South Dakota, even after the town had been evacuated, there were so many volunteers that one could hardly tell that any of the residents were gone.

High schools in Fargo, North Dakota canceled class so that students could assist in stacking sandbags.

So many people turned out to donate blood that a number of the donors were turned away.

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