Local emergencies have been declared in more than a dozen communities in southern and central Manitoba as floods continue.
In an update Monday afternoon, the province said it remained “on high alert” for water levels similar to the 2009 floods on the Red River between Emerson and the Red River Floodway entrance. The province said water levels are expected to remain high in many areas of southern and central Manitoba.
At Gimli’s RM, the main road through Silver Harbor’s unit was dug to allow water to flow freely. This work was done after a fast-flowing river eroded and destroyed the road.
On Sunday, RM declared a local state of emergency to deal with floods.
RM said that by declaring a local state of emergency, it could spend money that was not budgeted for and attract equipment and contractors to the community to help with any infrastructure that is at risk.
The main road through the Silver Harbor unit was excavated on May 2 to deal with floods in Gimli’s RM (CTV News Photo Mason DePatie)
Silver Harbor is the northernmost division in Gimli’s RM.
RISING WATERS
Several properties in the Interlake area, including an assisted care center outside Arborg, are also dealing with rising water.
Crews are pouring sand and creating dams, as some roads in the area are completely under water.
Firefighters are filling sandbags in Arborg, Man. to help protect homes from floods on May 2, 2022 (CTV News Photo Mason DePatie)
High waters prompted the RM of St. Laurent to declare a local state of emergency on Monday morning, joining more than a dozen communities in the province that declared a local state of emergency due to floods.
“East of Highway 6 in our municipality, there are major floods,” said Cheryl Smith, head of the rural municipality. “We have up to eight, maybe 10 roads that are closed due to land floods, they have been washed away.”
She said RM is currently assessing the community using drones and community staff. Smith said there were no plans to evacuate homes at the moment, although she said St. Laurent residents should call the municipal office if they are overwhelmed or need help with pumping.
The province said in total, as if on Monday night, 18 communities were under a local state of emergency, including:
- Cartier RM
- Maurice’s RM
- RM at Ritchot
- Fisher’s RM
- RM of Moncalm
- The city of Morden
- Winnipeg Beach
- Municipality of Pembina
- City of Arborg
- RM of Armstrong
- Dufferin’s RM
- Bifrost-Riverton Municipality
- Gray’s RM
- RM of Heddingley
- Thompson’s RM
- RM at Westlake
- RM of St. Laurent
- Grahamdale’s RM
The province said Manitoba emergency services are also working with Indigenous Services Canada to support response measures with the first nation’s communities.
Further south, in the RM of Moncalm, evacuation orders have been ordered for 27 homes, affecting 69 people who now remain in Steinbach, Winkler and Winnipeg. More evacuations are expected in the coming days, according to an update of the floods from RM.
The province said the crews were stationed in a number of communities in southern Manitoba to carry out pumping operations and closing dikes.
WARNING WARNINGS IN MANITOBA EXPAND
The province said the land flood warning for parts of Interezero, as well as southern and central Manitoba, has been extended to include all of eastern Manitoba.
The province said the flood warning for parts of Interlake, as well as southern and central Manitoba, has been extended to include all of eastern Manitoba from May 2, 2022 (Source: Manitoba Province).
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