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Flooding continues to impact the western Manitoba region of Parkland, as communities commence cleanup efforts while some residents remain evacuated.
Parts of the region have seen up to 119 mm of precipitation in the past five days, according to Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The typical amount of rainfall in the region for the entire month of June is 80 mm, she said.
Water levels in Swan River have remained steady since 6 p.m. Wednesday, the town wrote in a social media update on Thursday afternoon.
Mayor Lance Jacobson estimated 150 people had to be evacuated on Wednesday.
“There will be a lot of damage. I know some people did save their homes in those areas. They were lucky enough. But there’s several homes that have not been so lucky,” Jacobson said.
Swan River received approximately 107 mm of rain in recent days, Lang said. If the rain subsides, the town expects river levels to begin receding by Friday.
“These large downpours, this is what’s hurting us,” Jacobson said.
“If we get downpours in all those areas, and in that whole river valley system, then yes, it’ll be worse. I don’t want to think about that right now, but there is that potential.”
Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday the province requested military help for Swan River, and he expects to hear back “in the next day or two.”
“It is an active flood-fighting effort. So, to get equipment, sandbags, and resources into place is still a need as we’re speaking now,” Kinew told reporters Thursday.
“The other piece is that the cleanup operation is going to be gargantuan. It’s going to be momentous, when we’re talking cleanup and restoration.”
Federal minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada Eleanor Olszewski confirmed in an email to Global News that Ottawa received the province’s request.
“We are working with the province to assess evolving local needs so together we can determine the best ways to support the flood response on the ground to ensure Manitobans get the help they need,” the minister wrote.
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“As response efforts continue and recovery planning begins, the federal government will remain actively engaged.”
Swan River was hit by devastating flooding in early June, and the municipality of Swan River’s reeve, Bill Gade, said the community had not yet recovered when this storm arrived.
“Everywhere that we had flooding three weeks ago, we have the same flooding, except more,” Gade said. “(The flooding) was so bad, and now it’s just so much worse. It’s hard to even imagine it.”
He said he believes the cost to repair the damages in the town will begin at $10 million.
“That number is only going up, and it’s going up fast,” Gade continued.
Just under 200 km from Swan River, the city of Dauphin has also flooded after receiving “just shy of 119 mm” over the past five days, according to Lang.
The city declared a state of local emergency on Wednesday.
In a social media post, it said the water is receding in some areas, but localized flooding remains a concern as cleanup work begins.
“When the water comes, it comes fast and it comes hard. And that’s what caught us during the night on Tuesday when just an inordinate amount of water was coming down from the river and it infected the community — and we’re in cleanup mode right now,” said Mayor David Bosiak.
Waking up to the flooding on Wednesday was “shocking” for the mayor, who has lived in the community for more than 50 years.
The Dauphin Regional Health Center was forced to shut down and transfer patients to other hospitals on Wednesday after it flooded.
“The hospital itself lost power due to significant flooding in the basement,” Treena Slate, the CEO of Prairie Mountain Health told reporters at a news conference Thursday.
“Our main power source was knocked out, as well as the HVAC system and computer network access.”
This loss of power prompted the decision to close the facility and transport its patients, she said.
Manitoba’s Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-term care Uzoma Asagwara and a representative of Prairie Mountain Health confirmed all 54 patients, including one infant, were transported out of the centre.
Asagwara and Slate said it is unclear when the facility will reopen and reminded residents that local care is available.
The minister said the situation is ongoing, and damages have not been assessed yet.
Both communities’ weather forecasts are uncertain in the coming days, Lang said, adding that both will ideally see some sun. The heat can help dry overland water.
“We do have a chance of showers and thundershowers once again. With all the water that’s laying around, the growing crops, there’s a lot of moisture around. You combine heat and moisture and any little disturbance that comes along in the atmosphere can set off these showers,” Lang said
There is a risk of thunderstorms next week, she continued.
Stormy summers are not uncommon in the Prairies, Lang said, noting they are not typically this extreme.
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