ST. PAUL — Gov. Mark Dayton declared a state of emergency Thursday in 35 Minnesota counties — including Mower and Freeborn — after several days of storms and flooding.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) is fully activating the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). The SEOC has been partially activated this week in response to flood and storm-related conditions across northern and southern Minnesota.

The order makes a range of state resources available and engages state agencies in response efforts. The governor is also directing the Minnesota National Guard to send 100 soldiers to Koochiching County to help in storm affected areas.

“We’re ramping up our efforts to help communities across the state that are dealing with storm damage and high water due to the recent heavy rains,” HSEM Director Kris Eide said in a press release. “The state’s emergency operations center is in contact with emergency managers in the affected areas and we are coordinating the state’s response as directed by the governor’s state of emergency.”

A full activation of the SEOC occurs when there are significant impacts from an event over several or large areas of the state. The National Weather Service is predicting additional rain for regions that are saturated or are experiencing rising river and lake levels.

State agencies are monitoring conditions around the state and respond to resource requests from local emergency managers.

Counties in the State of Emergency include; Beltrami, Blue Earth, Brown, Dodge, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Grant, Hubbard, Jackson, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lyon, Koochiching, McLeod, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pipestone, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Roseau, Saint Louis, Scott, Sibley, Steele, Todd, and Waseca.

Parts of Highway 105 underwater Thursday

Part of Highway 105 was underwater Thursday south of Austin near the Iowa border, but the road was still open to traffic.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation reported runoff from a field covered part of the road between Mower County State Aid Highways 4 and 5 near the Cedar River Cemetery about five miles north of the Iowa border.

Crews were on site and placed signs warning drivers to slow down when driving through the stretch of highway.