Flooding along the Yellowstone River on Monday left families stranded in their homes, in need of Park and Gallatin County Search and Rescue teams to head out to their homes on a raft.
“The house is underwater, it’s knee-deep in the house. Search and Rescue took the kids and the dogs—but the water’s moving through everybody’s house on this road—it’s pretty sad,” said resident Jason Mascari.
Back and forth, the Search and Rescue team made their way to the residents on Blue Road, off of Highway 89. Captain Tad Dykstra of the Park County Sheriff’s office said that there had been too many rescues to count throughout the day.
Mascari, his family, and their dog, were stranded in their home. He says he’s never seen a flood of this magnitude.
“Normally we’re used to floods, we’ve got a flood wall around the house and you’re pretty prepared, but the river took charge today,” Mascari said. “I mean, there’s high historic floods, but our house has been an island in the past, and it’s not anymore."
Before the Search and Rescue teams came to the Mascari home, they first assisted a man in his thirties and his three dogs escape their home.
“We’ve been spending most of the day today helping people that have been stranded, either evacuating them or getting them to higher ground—to safety,” Dykstra said.
The Mascaris are planning on staying with family until they can return home and assess the damage.
