City of Winnipeg gets hundreds of calls about flooded streets, basements as rain batters Manitoba
McPhillips underpass, which was flooded earlier Tuesday, has reopened, city says
Cars got stuck in water up to their windows in the flooded McPhillips Street underpass during rush hour in Winnipeg Tuesday morning as yet another storm battered southern Manitoba.
A city spokesperson said a power outage caused the pumps that normally clear the water from the underpass at McPhillips and Logan to stop running.
Backup generators are being used to operate the pumps and the underpass was reopened as of 2 p.m., but it may take some time for the water to fully drain.
A total of 206 storm-related calls had been made to the city's 311 service by just after 9 a.m. Tuesday, including 95 about basement flooding and another 111 about flooded streets and ditches, the spokesperson said.
Rainfall warnings were in place earlier in the day for a wide swath of southern Manitoba, including Winnipeg, but most had been lifted by mid-afternoon Tuesday. A rainfall warning remained in place for the Churchill region and a winter storm watch was in effect for Tadoule Lake as of 3:30 p.m.
In the 24 hours before about 7 a.m. Tuesday, nearly 52 millimetres of rain had fallen at the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.
Winnipeg and other areas covered by the warnings had already received 30-50 millimetres of rainfall this week. Another 20-30 millimetres was expected to fall Tuesday, with flooding possible in low-lying areas.
The city also saw strong winds, which were forecast earlier in the day to gust up to 80 km/h.
Due to flooding, please avoid the Kildonan Park duck pond, pavilion, and all other areas with open water as well as use caution near creeks and bridges. The lower level of the pavilion is closed until further notice.
—@cityofwinnipegThe City of Winnipeg urged caution near creeks and bridges, and warned people to avoid the Kildonan Park duck pond, pavilion, and all other areas with open water. The lower level of the pavilion is closed until further notice.
The wind and rain were expected to diminish later in the day as the weather system moves east.
With files from Meaghan Ketcheson