Minot, North Dakota (CNN) -- The bloated Souris River was in the process of cresting Sunday in Minot, North Dakota, where record water levels have flooded thousands of homes.
"We're going to see minor fluctuations throughout the day today," but the water levels in Minot are expected to stay relatively close, said meteorologist Patrick Ayd of the National Weather Service in Bismarck, North Dakota.
He said the forecast shows a "very slow fall" starting Sunday evening.
The Souris River has already topped its record high of 1,558 feet above sea level, set in 1881.
A spontaneous burst of applause broke out at a Saturday press conference in Minot when the city's mayor said even though the Souris River should crest overnight -- about 12 feet higher than flood stage, it will be several inches short of what had been feared.
"This is great news," said Mayor Curt Zimbelman.
The Souris River flows through the center of Minot, a city of about 36,000. About a third of the city's population is under evacuation orders, while 3,000 to 4,000 homes have been affected by floodwater, the Minot Fire Department has said.
One resident, Stuart Dull, told CNN about how he, his wife and two children feverishly packed up their belongings ahead of the approaching waters.
"Words kind of escape me," Dull said after sneaking back toward his home and seeing it under water. "It's a sense of despair ... and it's maybe a check on some of the things that you hold dear."
Stuart Collum said he spotted the silver chimney and black roof of his house, where he has lived since 1968, on Saturday -- with the rest of the dwelling under water.
"I hate to say it, but I had tears in my eyes this morning. It's a sickening feeling because I knew when I come back it won't hardly be worth fixing. It's almost 100 years old," he said.
These personal struggles come as local, state and federal authorities rush to minimize the damage to property and maximize security and safety of residents.
Minot officials announced a "boil-water order" Saturday afternoon, telling residents to boil tap water for at least a minute before consuming in order to kill any dangerous organisms.
The focal point in Minot continues to be the Broadway Bridge, a critical north-south route through town. Officials have been working round-the-clock to prevent the river from inundating nearby routes, all part of larger efforts aimed at preventing Minot by effectively being split in half by the flooding.
"It's really important that (Broadway) bridge stays open," said Cecily Fong, spokeswoman for the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services.
Republican Rep. Rick Berg said he had been in touch with officials in Washington -- which has authorized FEMA to grant assistance -- and expressed optimism that the government will work well with residents to overcome the challenges.
"You're seeing people at the highest levels working together, putting politics behind them," said North Dakota's lone congressman.
Berg, though, cautioned that the "marathon" was far from over. For instance, water levels near the Broadway Bridge were still expected to remain around 1,561 feet through Tuesday -- well above the record of 1,558 feet -- with a slow drop over the coming week.
And the worst is yet to come for other North Dakota cities and towns.
In Sawyer, "we'll be approaching peak levels over next 24 hours," Ayd said early Sunday morning. Water levels in Velva are expected to peak Monday or Tuesday.
The situation prompted the evacuation Saturday of the Sawyer's 350 residents as water from the Souris River began to slosh up a main street through town, according to the U.S. Corps of Engineers.
Crews were engaged in a "touch and go" struggle to build a temporary levee to stop the flow of water through the now-vacant town, said Shannon Bauer, a public information officer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
"We have not given up," Bauer said.
Ken and Janelle Herslip's house -- less than a mile from the Souris -- was one of those flooded on Sunday.
Even though a crew of more than three dozen friends and family helped them evacuate on Monday -- scouring the house for everything that wasn't attached to the walls -- Ken Herslip said his wife is still devastated.
"We've had many homes over our life, and she finally got the house of her dreams," he said. "She is absolutely devastated, bawling all the time."
Herslip, who built the house, isn't so busted up. No one was hurt, and they can build again, he said.
Still, he said, "it will never be the same."
Dull voiced similar sentiments after the floodwaters forced him and his family out of their home -- leaving them safe, even as they're left largely helpless without flood insurance as the waters roll in. An overwhelming positive from this whole ordeal, he said, is how city residents have rallied to support one another.
"The community that we live in, they're absolutely great," said Dull. "All around, there are people helping people, strangers helping you move, everyone is so helpful.
"I just can't say enough about living in this town ... It's comforting to know that people care for you, even strangers."CNN's Mike Pearson, Jim Spellman, Holly Yan, Phil Gast and Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report.
