North Norfolk Township has declared a state of emergency after heavy rains Monday night through Tuesday caused flooding in the Austin community.
The municipality said in a press release on Tuesday morning that a local state of emergency was being declared after what it called an “unprecedented” amount of rain fell on Tuesday morning.
Austin was particularly affected, said Theresa Bergen, administrative director for North Norfolk Township, which lies between Brandon and Winnipeg.
Roads have been washed away and some culverts passing under the railway lines have been razed, he said. Many homes in the community have suffered some form of water damage.
Although the water has begun to recede in Austin, which is 130 miles west of Winnipeg, Bergen expects the state of emergency to be maintained for the time being.
“We’re going to have to … do a lot of repairs to the infrastructure and stuff like that. So for a few weeks, it’s probably safe,” he said.
The municipality warned residents of East Austin, including the MacGregor community, of the possibility of running water in streams and drains by land.
Brad Isbister, a resident of MacGregor, said he can usually sleep with anything, but Monday night’s heavy rains woke him up.
He said residents in the area reported three to four inches of rain overnight, between 75 and 100 millimeters.
That would be about a third of the total rainfall in a normal season, CBC meteorologist John Sauder said.
Isbister said he had not seen such rainfall since 1997.
TARGET | Brad Isbister’s video shows flooding in MacGregor, Man .:
Floods sweep roads and sewers near MacGreogor, Man.
The North Norfolk RM has declared a state of local emergency. Video sent by Brad Ibister to MacGregor, Man.
The street where he lives is now razed. He has not had water in his house, but says his yard is completely flooded.
“I now have properties in front of the lake, so to speak,” she told presenter Marjorie Dowhos in an interview Tuesday on CBC’s Radio Noon.
He is thinking of the peasants, however, who seem to be unable to rest.
“I can’t even figure out what they have to deal with stress. I mean, you put in a late harvest and expect some sort of yield from that. And it’s hit by the rain and it’s washed away.”
Noon Radio Manitoba8: 44More heavy rains in southern Manitoba.
Heavy rains and storms are hitting southern Manitoba again. Marjorie Dowhos hears about the first-hand effects of precipitation from MacGregor resident Brad Isbister, followed by an update from CBC meteorologist John Sauder.
About 115 miles southwest of MacGregor, Souris Glenwood Golf Course is set to cancel its next Father’s Day schedule, after the stream overflowing the course overflowed and took away two bridges needed to access in the equipment store on the other side.
On Tuesday afternoon, course officials were still unsure of the damage, if any, on the other side of the stream.
Still, Bob Warden, a course manager, is still in a good mood.
“We have a few volunteers based here who will really help with the cleanup. That would be the most important thing, and then see if we can find the bridges downstream,” he said.
The clubhouse is elevated from the creek and has remained dry. Although departure times are canceled for the week, people can still come for food and drink.
More rain and storms are expected for the region on Tuesday, with some more showers overnight Wednesday, but then residents can expect a few days of drier weather, Sauder said.
CAO Bergen in North Norfolk offered some advice to residents.
“We just have to be patient.”