DULUTH, Minn. - When police barricade the only way into your neighborhood, you know the situation is a serious one.
"It's a strong current and lots of water," said Mike Leland, a long time resident of the Fon Du Lac area on the western edge of Duluth. "I've never seen it this high."
More residents returned to the area Saturday , an area that authorities are now keeping a close eye on. Much of the Fon Du Lac community remains underwater after the St. Louis River spilled its banks Wednesday. Many of those that had evacuated say the damage to homes is extensive.
"The water was all around my home," says Leland. "I thought we had lost it."
Roughly 20 of the 80 homes in the community are still surrounded by the swollen river. Officials say it could be several more days until the water completely recedes and the area is safe to travel.
"It was so intense with so much rain," said Tom Crossmon, with the St. Louis County Sheriff's Department. "In all my years, I've never seen it like this. Seeing the damage, makes me choke up a bit."
Authorities call the situation "day to day" as they continue to monitor the levels of the river.
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