Rising waters have forced evacuations in Wisconsin and Minnesota, but townspeople are working together to salvage what they can as floodwaters threaten just about everything.

Rivers are swelling as flood victims are racing to get out in time. Parts of Minnesota received more than 10 inches of rain, the remnants of Pacific Tropical Storm Georgette.

"I just want to cry, I'm just sick," one local resident, whose home flooded, said. "Everything from the backyard floated away."

In Zumbrota, Minn., two high schoolers volunteered their time, delivering sandbags to their neighbors.

"Everyone's saying thank you for offering to help," one student said.

"Everyone's arms are pretty sore, but we're there, we got it done," another student said.

In Pipestone, Minn., tractors were brought in to rescue stranded residents. Resident Billy Quist volunteered to help others, even as his own home was threatened.

"I can't watch this ruin my house again, you know, it's just what do you do, what do you do?" Quist said.

The governors in both Minnesota and Wisconsin have issued states of emergency. While most of the rain stopped, flooding persists.

In Arcadia, Wisc., a small town of 2,400 residents, waters continued to rise, flooding streets, creating sinkholes, and endangering homes.

"I feel sorry for the people of Arcadia, people losing things, basements are being flooded, it's terrible," local resident Bill Flury said.