A North Sioux City train bridge partially collapses due to rising water levels.

KTIV – NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. Severe flooding has caused a partial collapse of the North Sioux City train bridge across the Big Sioux River. On June 23, the incident happened just before 11 p.m.

Throughout the night, authorities have been on the scene keeping an eye on the situation. For their own protection, locals are advised to stay away from the area. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the Missouri River topped out at 31.63 feet in Sioux City and is predicted to progressively drop on Monday. In a similar vein, the Big Sioux River is predicted to progressively decrease after peaking at 44.67 feet.

The owner of the railroad, Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), released the following statement:

“Given the circumstances, we have been keeping an eye on the area with our heightened track inspections and have refrained from operating over the North Sioux City bridge as a precaution. The central span of the bridge collapsed over the Big Sioux River on Sunday night at about 11 p.m. CST. The new route for all trains passes via Creston, Iowa. We’ll keep an eye on the local conditions, conduct inspections, and carry out recovery efforts as required.

We’ll keep you informed when further details become available.