Sioux Falls activates Emergency Operations Center as flooding, heavy rains continue

Sioux Falls has activated its Emergency Operations Center, with as heavy rains Friday evening expected to add to the already widespread flooding throughout the area.

A press release from the city said that city officials, along with partners from South Dakota and Lincoln and Minnehaha counties, were monitoring the weather with the potential of 2 more inches of rain falling across the city throughout Friday night into Saturday morning, adding to the 3-5 inches that had already fallen throughout the previous 48 hours.

More: Live updates: Sioux Falls, parts of Lincoln County under flash flood warning

The release said the most important thing homeowners could do is to check sump pumps, ensuring they are not being discharged into floor drains in order to avoid overwhelming the city's sanitary sewer system.

Sioux Falls is currently under a flash flood warning until 11:30 p.m. Friday night, a flood watch until 7 a.m. Saturday morning and a flood warning until 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation has encouraged motorists throughout the southeastern part of the state to avoid travel if at all possible.

The release said that the last time the city's EOC was activated was in April, when 911 services throughout the city were down for more than two hours.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls activates Emergency Operations Center amid ongoing floods