ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — As communities around Minnesota prepare to fight spring flooding, the state has opened its Emergency Operations Center to keep tabs on the efforts.

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management activated the center Thursday. The center has information on how local communities and counties are preparing for, or dealing with flooding.

The center’s Level 2 activation involves command staff and select state agencies. The center coordinates the activities of all the state agencies that respond to an emergency, in this case, flooding.

A joint information center will dispatch advisories, news releases and post updates on Facebook and Twitter about flood cleanup and recovery.

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