The Mississippi River in St. Paul is expected to rise Saturday evening

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Harriet Island in St. Paul is still deeply submerged as the Mississippi River is expected to emerge Saturday evening.

The river, which has been flooded for days, is expected to crest at 21 feet (6.5 meters), which would make it the seventh worst Mississippi River flood ever.

On Friday evening, President Joe Biden declared Minnesota a major disaster and ordered federal aid to help areas hit by the storms and flooding.

Currently, the funding applies to 22 provinces, but the list is expected to grow as more damage is estimated.

“These floods have caused serious damage across our state, and we must all work together to recover,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar. “I am pleased that the administration has taken swift action on our request so that our state can receive critical federal disaster relief funds.”

“This federal assistance provides our communities with the resources they need to build resilient infrastructure, reduce flood damage, provide emergency services, and protect against future repeat flooding,” said Rep. Brad Finstad. “I am grateful that President Biden granted Governor Walz’s request for this much-needed assistance, and I will continue to work with local officials to ensure people in Minnesota’s First District get what they need to get back on their feet as quickly as possible to come.”

Also on Friday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that teams with the Federal Emergency Management Agency had been deployed throughout Minnesota to assess the damage. Teams — dressed in FEMA uniforms — go door to door to conduct assessments. They do not ask for personal information from residents.

FEMA regional manager Tom Sivak asked residents to take photos of the damage and contact insurance as soon as possible.