Roblin declares emergency in wake of overland flooding
Wet weekend has flood watchers keep close eye on water levels
Manitoba's flood season seems to be underway in earnest, as the Town of Roblin declared a state of local emergency in order to deal with overland flooding caused by spring run-off.
Manitoba flood watchers said Friday the Manitoba Emergency Coordination Centre has been opened to help communities fight high waters.
Betty Nykyforak is the town's mayor.
She said the water was so high in parts of town it has overtaken sandbag dikes, which has flooded roads and backyards.
Nykyforak said the worst affected areas were the west side on Hospital Street and the northeast area around Newton Bay.
The mayor said no one has been displaced due to the flooding.
The province said two homes in the Rural Municipality of Fisher have been protected with water tube barriers and in some locations water is over the roads.
Two homes in the Town of Arborg facing potential flooding have been supplied with sandbags.
And five homes on Peguis First Nation are threatened by flooding. The homes are now behind water tube barriers.
The Manitoba government has delivered 100 water tubes to Peguis.
Seven homes on Fisher River Cree First Nation facing local run-off have been protectd and 80 water tube barriers are on their way to Fisher River.
Manitoba's flood forecasters said they are keeping an eye on rain expected this weekend in Saskatchewan and North Dakota.
The province cited a major rainfall warning issued by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the Souris River area, covering southeast Saskatchewan and North Dakota. It also said the upper reaches of the Souris River could see 35 to 50 millimetres of rain on the weekend.
Manitoba officials said western Manitoba could get 10 to 20 millimetres.
A flood warning remains in effect for all points along the Little Saskatchewan River, and Silver Birdtail creek and the Fisher River because of high water and the potential for ice jams.
Eastern Manitoba isn't expected to get much precipitation this weekend, but could see five to 10 mm on Monday.
A flood warning is in place for the Little Saskatchewan River, and Silver Birdtail creeks and for the Fisher River.
Flood watches are still in effect for the Assiniboine River, from Shellmouth Dam to Brandon.