The problems began June 19 when seven inches of rain fell on the Fargo-Moorhead area in six hours, damaging nearly 2,00 homes. North Dakota Emergency Management director Dough Friez said the rains were the second most costly disaster in the state. The region has seen its share of damaging weather, most recently the Grand Forks area flooding in1997. People were just climbing out of the trauma of 1997. Ball-Kilbourne suggested that while physical clean up has long been underway, emotional clean up has just begun.
People get emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually exhausted.
A 1997 Fargo news report estimated that complaints of mental health problems increased by 45 percent, drunk-driving violations increased 129 percent, and drug and narcotics violations increased 275 percent following the flood. The period of relaxing also would allow basements and other property time to dry out, helping to prevent mold from forming. The program was created to reduce post-traumatic stress for children. Recovery, including repair and rebuilding work, is expected to begin at the end of August. A period of community, spiritual, and economical reconstruction is expected to continue for several years.