The province will give disaster financial assistance for victims of three high-water events this year, announced infrastructure minister Ron Schuler today.
Schuler pledged over $2 million to communities in Southeastern Manitoba. Heavy rains in early June caused heavy overland flooding along the Rat River and in six southeastern municipalities.
Local news outlet Steinbach Online reported June 10 that dozens of people had evacuated and posted photos of flooded yards and roads.
“If you flew over you would see one big lake,” Reeve David Kiansky told Steinbach Online. “Lake Stuartburn you could call it.”
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Flooding also destroyed fields or prevented them from being seeded, the Co-operator reported.
The province also pledged over $29 million towards flooding damages in the southwest.
On June 29 and 30, what Schuler called “rain of epic proportions” swelled the Little Saskatchewan River and led the town of Minnedosa and R.Ms of Minto-Odanah and Oakview to declare states of emergency.
Rushing water wiped out sections of road and overran acres upon acres of crops.
The floodwaters also threatened the dam at Rivers, leading many residents to evacuate. The sixty-year-old dam has yet to be given a clean bill of health, said Schuler.
Heavy precipitation upstream of the Whitemud River caused a further 10 municipalities to declare states of emergency.
The province also pledged funds toward damages from spring flooding in the Red River Valley. While flooding was mild compared to some years, some communities along the river received provincial assistance to close ring dikes, ramp roads and pump water, according to a September 10 news release.
The province, in partnership with the federal government, will make $3.7 million available to affected communities.
The programs will be open for applications until December 10, Schuler said.
