[originaltext] Flood waters are receding in parts of the upper mid-western Un

Flood waters are receding in parts of the upper mid-western United States while waters continue to rise in others. The northern states of Minnesota and North and South Dakota are seeing the worst of the early spring flooding with officials predicting things will get worse, more from VOA’s Michael Leland in Chicago. "In the town of Montevideo, Minnesota, the Minnesota River is beginning to drop, but officials say it will be a while before many of the people evacuated from their homes can return. Ellivis Valetion owns Valetion’s Restaurant and says the town is worried that a dyke holding the river back might be weakening.
   ‘The people were evacuated but there is no, they aren’t underwater, but they’re right behind the dyke. And if the dyke were to go, they wouldn’t have time to get out.’
   The Minnesota River is one of its several in the state of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota that has run out of its banks because of the melting snow and heavy rain during the past week. President Clinton has declared many counties in all three states fatal disaster areas and flooding is expected to continue for a few more weeks as last Winter’s record snowfall continues to melt. Michael Leland VOA news Chicago."