Several municipalities in Manitoba have declared a local state of emergency due to ongoing floods.
RM of Dufferin announced on Sunday that a state of emergency has been declared because water from the Boyne River is spilling on the banks.
“It’s very common right now. “I’ve lived in this area for a long time and I’ve been by the river and I’ve never seen it so high,” George Gray, Reeve of RM’s Dufferin, told CTV News. “It’s like a wild horse coming down a river.”
Gray said at least half a dozen homes had received evacuation orders west of the town of Karman, and more evacuations were possible.
He said the western part of the municipality is most affected at the moment, as roads have been washed away and there are many floods by land.
Gray doesn’t expect more rain to hit the area, but he knows they haven’t come out of the woods yet.
“There’s so much water coming from the west, and it’s just coming so fast, we just can’t get ahead of it.”
He added that the river has not yet reached the ridge, noting that the situation is likely to worsen before it improves.
The hall of the community center is open to people who have been evacuated and Gray said that those who use the hall must first register so that RM knows how many people there are.
Winnipeg Beach has also declared a local state of emergency to deal with flooding in the area.
A statement from the mayor said the decision was made so that the council could attract the equipment and contractors needed to support infrastructure that could be at risk.
Mayor Tony Pimentel called the move a “proactive measure”.
“At the moment, our public works and utilities are working closely with our emergency services officer to ensure we are protected,” Pimentel said in a statement.
Pimentel reminds residents to stay away from areas where water flows.
He said there were no concerns about the evacuations and that if things changed, an update would be provided.
The city of Arborg, the RM of Gimli and the First Nation of Long Plain join the RM of Dufferin and Winnipeg Beach.
All sites declared a local state of emergency on Sunday due to ongoing flood problems.
Arborg said in a Facebook post that the state of emergency would last until May 21, noting that the city is dealing with floods that need “quick action”.
“Potential evacuees are being notified and accommodation arrangements are being made,” the statement said.
Residents are reminded not to travel through water that is above roads.
Long Plain First Nation said elders, people with medical needs and those with impassable alleys are being evacuated and will continue to do so until the emergency is over.
Gimli’s RM said in a Facebook post that the measures taken were proactive in protecting infrastructure and property. No evacuation is required at this time.
On Saturday, the city of Morden also declared a local state of emergency as it was hit by rain and excessive flooding.
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