Section of home falls into raging river after Minnesota dam partially fails, video shows
A house next to the Rapidan Dam collapsed into a river Tuesday night as water flowing around the dam's structure undercut the riverbank.
Water coursing out from the Rapidan Dam in Minnesota, which partially failed after heavy rain over the weekend, eroded enough soil on the shoreline to send a nearby home collapsing into the river, officials said Tuesday night.
The home, located on the banks of the Blue Earth River next to the dam, toppled over the edge of an eroded bluff at around 9:45 p.m., officials in Blue Earth County said.
Video that bystanders recorded from the opposite bank shows a large section of the house break away and fall into the roaring river. A short time later, a massive tree could also be seen falling into the river.
The home had already been evacuated by the time of the collapse, FOX9 Minneapolis reported.
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Officials said that the Blue Earth County Public Works, emergency management and sheriff’s office are monitoring for any impacts from the collapse downstream.
The Rapidan Dam is located about 14 miles south of Mankato in Southern Minnesota.
The dam partially failed after heavy rain over the weekend pushed water around the west side of the structure instead of through the gates of the dam.
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On Wednesday morning, officials said there were "dramatic changes" overnight as the channel of water escaping through the west side of the dam continued to "cut wider and deeper," eroding soil on the riverbank.
"There is currently little to no flow through the gates of the dam as the majority of the flow is going around the west side of the dam," officials said.
Due to the recent erosion, officials said that the focus has now shifted from the dam to a nearby bridge. The speed of the flowing water continues to inhibit emergency mitigation strategies.