Friday morning, several Libby residents ventured just outside of town to see what remained of a concrete bridge crossing Libby Creek. The only thing left connecting both sides was a metal guardrail.
Standing next to the swollen creek, Sandi Oliveira says another bridge washed away just a half mile from her home.
“Our home is fine. A lot of water in the yard, but that has receded now, and about half an inch in our shop, of water. But we got that all cleaned up.”
About 60 homes experienced minor flooding in Libby and Troy. Libby residents are expected to be on a boil water notice for at least a few days.
Sheriff Darren Short spoke about the damage at a press conference.
“This is a major event. This isn’t going to be something we can fix overnight.”
Short says at least nine bridges are believed to be compromised or completely washed away.
“Some people are driving 30, 40 miles out of their way, when it used to be a one-mile trip into town.”
Gov. Greg Gianforte declared a state of emergency. That could bring state funds to the county for recovery. The county could also receive federal financial support.
The county will need to fully assess the damage before it gets that money. That could take a while with two more inches of rain in the forecast.
