ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Tim Walz has authorized emergency assistance for six Minnesota counties that suffered damage caused by severe weather this summer.

“Minnesota’s emergency management team has been coordinating closely with counties to assess damage from severe weather this summer,” said Governor Walz. “We’ll continue working to get communities the resources they need to recover.”

Aitkin and Crow Wing counties experienced significant tornado damage on June 12. Beltrami, Big Stone, and Todd counties experienced significant damage caused by severe storms between July 31 and August 5. Marshall County experienced significant damage caused by flooding on July 26.

As climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events, impacts to outdated infrastructure and roadways have caused millions of dollars in damages statewide. Collaborative emergency planning at all levels of government and investments in infrastructure are critical to safeguarding against future damage.