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A state of local emergency has been declared in Dauphin, Man., after significant rainfall in the community over the past few days led to “rapidly worsening” flooding.
Approximately 115 mm has fallen since Sunday.
“The unprecedented volume of water has caused widespread flooding on streets and properties while placing extraordinary pressure on the City’s storm, wastewater and water infrastructure,” the city said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
The city woke up to relatively clear conditions, though Deputy Mayor Christian Laughland told Global News it had clouded over as of about 11 a.m. However, no rain has started.
Laughland said he’s been helping residents clean out their basements and assisting where he can, something other members of the community have also been doing.
“I would say everybody in the city of Dauphin is affected in some capacity,” Laughland said. “We’ve just been going around, kind of checking in on people. Some people’s basements are dry, some people’s basements have a foot of water, some people’s basements have five feet of water. It’s just kind of people helping people.”
Residents are being asked to avoid all non-essential travel. Many roads are flooded and storm-water systems remain overwhelmed.
People have also been urged to minimize water use wherever possible as the wastewater system is also under significant strain.
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By issuing the state of emergency, the city said it can access additional emergency resources and coordinate response efforts with the provincial government.
Some areas are starting to see water recede a bit, Laughland said, but he cautioned other parts are seeing the water pool.
“It’s tough to say around the community as a whole, but just from what I’m seeing in my little bit of a neighbourhood, it seems like the water is going down quite a bit and that’s a good sign,” Laughland said. “Obviously people now, it’s the cleanup process. That’s the battle going forward.”
If people are in immediate danger or require emergency assistance they should call 911, the city said. If floodwater has entered a home or business, people should not go in affected areas where electrical hazards could be present and should shut off power only if it’s safe to do so.
The state of emergency also comes hours after it cancelled its Canada Day Party in the Park celebration due to the ongoing flooding. The decision was made even after exploring potential indoor options.
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