Flooding closes more roadways in central Montana

HELENA, Mont. – The Latest on flooding along Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front (all times local):

5:20 p.m.

Officials have closed a stretch of Montana Highway 200 over Rogers Pass after a culvert failed and flooded the roadway.

State Department of Transportation officials say the highway is closed east of Lincoln to the intersection with Montana Highway 287.

Heavy rain over the past few days has also led to the flooding of the Sun River and the closure of all roads leading to the town of Augusta about 35 miles north of Rogers Pass.

Red Cross officials say they’re opening a shelter for people affected by the flooding at 7 p.m. in Choteau at the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

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3:40 p.m.

Flooding due to heavy rains that fell over the last few days closed off all the roads into the town of Augusta along the Rocky Mountain Front.

Lewis and Clark County officials say Elk Creek sent floodwaters over U.S. Highway 89 both north and south of town while a bridge washed out on a Secondary Highway 21 east of town.

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11:20 a.m.

Heavy rain falling along the Rocky Mountain Front over the last several days has triggered flooding, closed some roads and trapped a horseback party in the Scapegoat Wilderness.

The Montana Department of Transportation closed U.S. Highway 287 around Augusta Tuesday because water from Elk Creek was running over the road. The National Weather Service says up to a foot (30 centimetres) of water was running down a street in Augusta.

The Dearborn River near Craig was at moderate flood stage Tuesday and the Sun River near Simms was expected to reach moderate flood stage by Tuesday evening, threatening homes.

A dozen members of a horseback party were rescued by helicopter Tuesday morning after the rain washed out their camp and they were trapped on the wrong side of the Dearborn River in the Scapegoat Wilderness southwest of Augusta.