More than 1,000 residents of Peguis First Nation have been forced to flee their homes amid severe flooding, with the worst still to come in Manitoba communities combating overflowing streams.
More than 1,000 residents of Peguis First Nation have been forced to flee their homes amid severe flooding, with the worst still to come in Manitoba communities combating overflowing streams.
Peguis Chief Glenn Hudson said he was still waiting for a response Monday after asking Ottawa to send in the military to help the overwhelmed First Nation, about 170 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.
"The water levels are the highest ever that we’ve had in our community," Hudson said. "People themselves have every emotion, from sadness to anger in terms of having to leave their homes."
Hudson said he was working with Indigenous Services Canada and the community’s member of Parliament, Niki Ashton, on the request for military aid.
Almost 1,000 residents of Peguis First Nation have been forced to flee their homes amid flooding. (Albert Stevenson via The Canadian Press)
Ashton (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski) raised the matter during question period, but Ottawa gave no indication it will send troops to the flood zone.
Vance Badawey, the parliamentary secretary to Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu, said the federal government will work with Peguis "to ensure that they have the resources and supports that they need."
There appeared to be confusion over the protocol to request military help.
ISC spokesman Matthew Gutsch said the federal government will "carefully review" any requests for military assistance if local resources aren’t sufficient.
He said some homes in Fisher River, Kinonjeoshtegon and Long Plain First Nations have been evacuated due to flooding.
A Canadian Armed Forces spokesperson said the province would have to make a formal request for assistance to Public Safety Canada.
Flood of 2022A truck drives through Red River flood water covering parts of Hwy 220 south, May 30, 2022. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk (left), Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson (right), and Sarah Thiele (centre), deputy minister, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure talk to reporters along Provincial Road 222 near Lakeside Road where it has been mostly washed out just north of Gimli, MB, as part of a provincial tour of flooded areas, June 2, 2022. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk, Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson, and Sarah Thiele, deputy minister, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure along with other government employees walk along Provincial Road 222 near Lakeside Road where it has been mostly washed out just north of Gimli, MB, as part of a provincial tour of flooded areas, June 02, 2022. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)Provincial Road 222 near Lakeside Road where it has been mostly washed out just north of Gimli, MB, June 2, 2022. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)Provincial Road 222 near Lakeside Road where it has been mostly washed out just north of Gimli, MB, June 2, 2022. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk, Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson, and Sarah Thiele, deputy minister, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure along with other government employees walk along Provincial Road 222 near Lakeside Road where it has been mostly washed out just north of Gimli, MB, as part of a provincial tour of flooded areas, June 2, 2022. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)
220602 - Thursday, June 2, 2022Floodwater surrounds a pedestrian bridge which crosses Pickett Creek near Nutimik Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park. (Brynn Kaplen photo)Flood water from the swollen Assiniboine River covers low lying farmland along Highway 250 north of Alexander, June 1, 2022. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)Rows of sandbags protect the Otter Lake resort from floodwaters on May 21. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - Daniel CrumpCabin owner Michael Chontske (left) and his friend Tracy Lysak are doing what they can to protect Chontske’s cabin and property as the water on Eleanor Lake continues to rise Saturday, May 21. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - Daniel CrumpDan Thomas and Colin Spark inspect a ring of sandbags they helped put up to hold back the waters of Eleanor Lake on May 21. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - People help each other load sandbags into their vehicles in the Whiteshell area May 21. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - A cabin on Eleanor Lake off of Provincial Road 307 is surrounded by flood waters on May 21. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - Volunteers build a super sandbag dike to protect homes in Minnedosa May 20. The flood situation in the town improved slightly Friday with a small drop in water levels. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Bill Crooks carries plastic used in making a super sandbag dike to protect homes in Minnedosa May 20. The flood situation in the town improved slightly Friday with a small drop in water levels. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Volunteers fill super sandbags to make a dike to protect homes in Minnedosa on May 20. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Premier Heather Stefanson (left) and Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Doyle Piwniuk speak to the media about the floodfight in Minnedosa at the Minnedosa Dam May 19. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Floodwater from the swollen Little Saskatchewan River covers low area’s between the Minnedosa Lake dam and the town of Minnedosa May 16. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Floodwater from the swollen Little Saskatchewan River covers low area’s between the Minnedosa Lake dam and the town of Minnedosa May 16. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Floodwater from the swollen Little Saskatchewan River covers low areas between the Minnedosa Lake dam and the town of Minnedosa May 16. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Floodwater from the swollen Little Saskatchewan River covers low area’s between the Minnedosa Lake dam and the town of Minnedosa May 16. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Netley Creek and The Red River enter Lake Winnipeg just north of Winnipeg. (John Woods / Pool / Canadian Press) - A home on Peguis First Nation with a Tiger Dam around it. Residents of the community were evacuated because of the Fisher River flooding. The river levels have dropped considerably this week. (John Woods / Pool / Canadian Press) - St. Mary’s Road, which runs between Winnipeg and St. Adolphe, Man., is closed due to Red River flooding south of Winnipeg, Sunday. (John Woods / Pool / Canadian Press) - Premier Heather Stefanson (centre) and opposition leader Wab Kinew, (left) tour Manitoba’s flood area Sunday. (John Woods / Pool / Canadian Press) - Premier Heather Stefanson and opposition leader Wab Kinew head to a press conference after a helicopter tour of Manitoba’s flood area. (John Woods / The Canadian Press) - St. Mary’s Road, which runs between Winnipeg and St. Adolphe, Man., is closed due to Red River flooding Sunday. (John Woods / Pool / Canadian Press) - The Z Dike, built south of Winnipeg during the 1997 flood, protects against the Red River flooding Sunday. (John Woods / Canadian Press) - A car navigates a narrow stretch of road on Provincial Road 200 south of Winnipeg on May 14. Due to water and debris, the road narrows to only a shoulder before disappearing under the water completely. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - Provincial Road 200 south of Winnipeg is completely submerged on May 14. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - Provincial Road 200 south of Winnipeg is washed out on May 14. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - School buses parked in a lot surrounded on three sides by flood waters along Provincail Road 200 south of Winnipeg on May 14. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) - Bertha Therrien outside her home in Peguis on May 10. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) - MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Bertha Therrien outside her home in Peguis First Nation. The flood water was up to the top of the sandbags a couple days ago. - An old farm truck sits partially submerged in Peguis on May 10. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) - A distant home protected by a tiger dam isolated by water in Peguis on May 10. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) - SUPPLIED
Tiger Dams are set up around houses in Fisher River Cree Nation in the Interlake, where the Fisher River spilled its banks. - SUPPLIED
An aerial photograph of the flooding at Fisher River Cree Nation. - Water from heavy rain and snow melt floods over a grid road in the RM of Clanwilliam-Erickson on Monday, May 9. (Tim Smith / The Brandon Sun) - Joan Hackie photo
Joan and Russ Hackie are using a boat on Thursday, May 5, to get to and from their home, which is surrounded by floodwater, on Marchand Road in the Municipality of Ritchot, just south of Winnipeg. - A truck navigates flood waters in Peguis First Nation on Wednesday, May 4. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) - Flooding on Peguis First Nation on May 4. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) - The Peguis First Nation Search and Rescue vehicle heads out to help on May 4. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) - Flooding on Peguis First Nation on May 4. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) - CPVolunteers prepare sandbags in Peguis on May 4. (David Lipnowski / The Canadian Press) - The Arborg area is dealing with flooding caused by recent rainfall and the Icelandic River spilling its banks. (RCMP)
- This photo taken by a drone shows tractors pumping floodwater over Highway 68 about a kilometre west of Arborg on May 4. (North-East Interlake Emergency Measures Board) - Nick Frechette wades through flood waters on his dad’s property north of St. Adolphe on May 4. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press) - The Red River has run over its banks on May 3, cutting off access to Red River Drive about five kilometres south of the Turnbull Drive and Pembina Highway intersection (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) - Red River Drive is submerged by the Red River on May 3. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) - Crews work on May 3 on collecting clay for a dike that will be built across Red River Drive to help protect homeowners. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) - Crews work on building a dike across Red River Drive on May 3 to help protect homeowners. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) - On the outskirts of Morris on May 3. (Morris RCMP) - Outside of Morris on May 3. (Morris RCMP) - Jennifer Lim poses in her yard, which is partially flooded by an overflowing retention pond, in Winnipeg on May 3. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) - Backyards partially flooded by an overflowing retention pond in Winnipeg on May 3. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) - SUPPLIED
Tiger Dams set up around houses in Fisher River Cree Nation in the Interlake, where the Fisher River spilled its banks. - High water levels in Elie on May 2 are threatening some homes. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) - The high school in Elie is surrounded by water on May 2. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) - Sandbags are made in preparation for flooding at the RM of Cartier facility in Elie on May 2. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) - Sandbags are made in preparation for flooding at the RM of Cartier facility in Elie on May 2. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) - A homeowner has put down some sandbags on May 2 in response to high water in Elie. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) - A truck crosses a high La Salle River in Elie on May 2. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press) - The swollen Icelandic River in Arborg on May 2. (Doug Anderson photo)
- Flooding in the Peguis First Nation is shown in a handout photo taken with a drone on MAy 1. (Albert Stevenson / The Canadian Press) - Flooding in the Peguis First Nation is shown in a handout photo taken with a drone on May 1. (Albert Stevenson / The Canadian Press) - David Sutherland, Ron Sutherland and brother-in-law Garry Willis work on putting sandbags in front of Ron’s house, close to Sutherland Road and Highway 8, on April 26. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) - In Altona, crews erected a Tiger Dam — large tubes filled with water to act as a flood barrier — in a vulnerable area of the town on April 29. (Supplied) - PR 200, north of St. Adolfe, with water from the Red River spilling across the roadway slowing traffic down to one lane. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press) - A 55+ complex in Selkirk’s Creekside subdivision flooded after water from a nearby creek started rising in the area on April 23. (Supplied) - A 55+ complex in Selkirk’s Creekside subdivision flooded after water from a nearby creek started rising in the area on April 23. (Supplied) - Provincial employees showed up in the dozens to build and reinforce dikes around flood-hit Nutimik Lodge, located at Nutimik Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park, Thursday, May 26, 2022. (Allison Baker-Thiessen photo) -
However, a spokesman for the province said it "does not play a part in that request and is not involved in its authorization."
"ISC, as the entity responsible, needs to make such a request directly to Public Safety Canada," the spokesperson said. "The military therefore deploys in Manitoba First Nations without a provincial request for assistance. This happened numerous times during COVID."
Public Safety Canada did not respond to a request for comment.
Communities in peril
Click to Expand
Aside from Peguis, states of local emergency have been declared in these 18 municipalities as of Monday afternoon, according to the province:
• RM of Cartier
• RM of Morris
• RM of Ritchot
• RM of Fisher
• RM of Montcalm
• City of Morden
• Town of Winnipeg Beach
• Municipality of Pembina
• Town of Arborg
• RM of Armstrong
• RM of Dufferin
• Municipality of Bifrost-Riverton
• RM of Grey
• RM of Headingley
• RM of Thompson
• RM of West Interlake
• RM of St. Laurent
• RM of Grahamdale
Peguis is under a local state of emergency and a mandatory evacuation order after heavy rain and ice jams caused the Fisher River to spill its banks, said Hudson.
The water level is already higher than the previous record flood of 2011, he said.
Evacuees from Peguis are staying in hotels in Winnipeg, Selkirk and Gimli, but some residents have stayed behind even though their homes have been flooded.
Cindy Sutherland, 46, said she and her husband and their 18-year-old son were pumping water out of their basement, where it was ankle deep, to try to save their house.
"It’s coming in through the basement windows. We tried covering them with sandbags," said Sutherland. "Outside, you need hip-waders to get to us. You can’t get to us in a regular truck because the water is so deep and the current is so strong. We’re on our own."
Sutherland assumed they will be forced to leave at some point.
"Once our pumps go out and we run out of gas, our whole house will be underwater," she said. "It’s a bad situation we’re in right now. It’s like one big lake across most of (Peguis). People have lost their homes already."
Sutherland said the community was caught off guard.
A post on the First Nation’s Facebook page last Wednesday said river levels were decreasing, and community officials were not expecting a flood.
Hudson said the province’s forecast predicted "low to no flooding," but ice jams caused the river to back up and inundate part of the community.
"The river is right up. It’s full." – Arborg Deputy Mayor Ron Johnston
He said staff are working around the clock to set up flood-protection measures such as sandbag dikes and dams that use water-filled tubes, and they’re exhausted.
The Canadian Red Cross in Manitoba is helping residents to ensure they have a place to stay, food and basic essentials such as hygiene products, said spokesman Jason Small.
Many communities in southern and central Manitoba are dealing with overland, river or creek flooding following a series of Colorado low weather systems that hit the region with snow and rain over the past month.
The swollen Icelandic River in Arborg, where sandbag dikes were built at about 20 properties to protect them from floodwater. (Doug Anderson photo)
The latest dumped about 40 to 50 millimetres of rain in the Red River Basin over the weekend. Between 30 and 50 millimetres fell across the Interlake and areas east of Lake Winnipeg.
In Arborg, staff and volunteers in the Interlake town have built sandbag dikes at 15 to 20 properties to protect them from the swollen Icelandic River.
"The river is right up. It’s full," said Deputy Mayor Ron Johnston. "We’re monitoring it right now and filling sandbags and getting ready. Everybody’s pretty secure. We’ve received tremendous help from volunteers."
As of Monday afternoon, 18 communities, not including Peguis, have declared states of local emergency.
"By and large, this allows them to access private property with flood-protection equipment," said Johanu Botha, assistant deputy minister responsible for emergency management and Manitoba EMO.
He expects Manitoba to be in "flood response mode" until early June.
The province was preparing to close Highway 75 on the south side of Morris at 8 p.m. Monday to protect the town, after sealing the north side of its ring dike April 29.
Flooding in the Peguis First Nation is shown in a handout photo taken with a drone on Sunday. (Albert Stevenson / The Canadian Press)
South of Winnipeg, provincial flood forecasters expect the Red River to peak between Emerson and the floodway inlet at levels similar to 2009 during the second week of May.
In the Municipality of Ritchot, evacuation notices have been distributed to more than 110 homes, said Mayor Chris Ewen.
He said crews were preparing to close St. Adolphe’s east dike as early as Monday night.
At least 27 homes in the Rural Municipality of Montcalm have been ordered to evacuate, a news release stated.
In the Red River Valley, community ring dikes and most individual properties are protected against 1997 flood levels plus two feet.
The floodway and Portage Diversion remain in operation to reduce water levels in Winnipeg. A flood warning for Sturgeon Creek is still in effect.
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The Colorado low that hit over the weekend was the third to dump rain and/or snow on Manitoba in as many weeks.
Forecasters are predicting dry and sunny conditions over the coming days, with daytime highs of about 20 C between Thursday and Saturday in southern Manitoba.
"It should be the warmest week so far this year," said Scott Kehler, president and chief scientist of Weatherlogics.
However, more rain is expected Friday and Saturday, and another Colorado low could hit Manitoba early next week. The storm’s track and potential rainfall amounts are still unclear.
"Even though most models are forecasting a low-pressure system, it’s not necessarily written in stone just yet," said Environment Canada meteorologist Sara Hoffman.
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