Public Safety · New Richland, MN
New Richland Nursing Home Evacuated in Sept. 19 Flood; Closure Expected 5 Months to a Year
The New Richland Care Center in New Richland, Minnesota, was evacuated on Sept. 19 after floodwater reached at least 2½ feet in its hallways, forcing staff and volunteers to move all 36 residents out of the building. The government-run facility, about 100 yards from a drainage ditch and one of the town's largest employers with 85 workers, has now flooded three times in 16 years. Storms dropped 4 to 8 inches of rain across southeastern Minnesota the day before, overwhelming local drainage. Administrator Robert Johannsen said the nursing home will be closed for five months to a year for repairs, and residents were resettled across about nine area facilities.