Sobering aerial views of Minnesota under water, after flooding rains

In the last week, excessive rain has swamped portions of Minnesota.

Consider these stats – courtesy the Star Tribune Weather Blog – from Minneapolis, which has received:

* 25.32 inches of rain so far this year, most on record year-to-date
* 86 percent of its summer (June-August) rainfall, with a week still left in June
* 82 percent of its annual precipitation, with the year not even half over
* 10.85 inches of rain in June compared to an average of 4.25 inches

Writes the New York Times: Minnesota was besieged on Tuesday by some of its most widespread flooding in years. Water spilled onto streets in downtown St. Paul, crops of soybeans and corn were damaged and a state of emergency was declared in 35 counties.

Following the deluge, the Mississippi river in St. Paul is forecast to crest at 20.5 feet Thursday, the sixth-highest level on record (and highest in June) before waters begin to recede.

Among the matter floating down the swollen Mississippi?  A giant clam shell  (not a real shell, but a sculpture from a flooded playground).

Here’s aerial footage, filmed from a drone, capturing scenes of flooding in Shakopee, Minnesota – about 30 minutes south of Minneapolis – which was largely under water Tuesday.

(Correction, 3:35 p.m. Thursday: An earlier version of this post inaccurately indicated the video in this post originated from Waterville, Minnesota.   The video is from Shakopee and the text has been updated).