Disaster Declared on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota

Severe ice storms and freezing temperatures have knocked down 3,000 utility poles – Tribal residents have been without electricity, heat and running water for 6 days.

Eagle Butte, South Dakota – The Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has declared a State of Emergency in central South Dakota, an Indian reservation approximately the size of Connecticut with nearly 15,000 tribal members. The tribe is still awaiting presidential disaster declaration.

(click here to read the official press release)

Days of ice storms and strong winds have downed over 3,000 utility poles across the reservation. Thousands of already impoverished tribal residents have been without electricity or heat for five days, with wind chill factors below zero. Experts estimate it may be as long as a month before all areas have electricity restored.

“Making matters worse,” said Tribal Chairman Joe Bring Plenty, “the loss of electricity has also knocked out the reservation’s aging water system. We have no running water on the entire reservation, it is also affecting of reservation communities such as Faith, whose water is supplied from pipes running through the reservation.”

The Tribe is working hard to bring families in, out of the cold and into shelters. The South Dakota National Guard, the state’s Department of Public Safety, as well as the Army Corps of engineers have come to the reservation and supplied some emergency generators. The tribe would especially like to thank Wal-Mart for providing emergency food and supplies, and the Navajo Nation for sending up a tribal utility crew to help with the downed electrical lines.

However, much more assistance is still needed. No one facility can host a shelter large enough for all the tribal residents; additional generators are needed to set up additional shelters. The tribe’s one and only grocery store has lost all of its perishables; additional food is needed. Also, dialysis patients have had to be evacuated to Rapid City.