Weekend downpour floods Winnipeg basements

Plumbers and homeowners in Winnipeg are scrambling to deal with basement flooding thanks to this weekend's heavy rainfall.

Environment Canada says the soggy weekend was caused by two weather systems that spread rain from Friday to Sunday.

Upward of 71.8 millimetres of rain fell at The Forks in Winnipeg over the weekend, according to Environment Canada.

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The City of Winnipeg says as of Monday morning, it has received 27 reports of sewer backups.

But Dino Sylvestri of Mr. Rooter says the real number of basements with sewer backups is probably closer to 300.

Sylvestri told CBC News he and other plumbers across the city have been inundated with emergency calls from homeowners since 5 p.m. Sunday.

"An overwhelming number of calls — probably in the neighbourhood of 30 legitimate calls for drain backup," he said, adding that he has had to bring in more plumbers to work Monday evening to keep up with demand.

Sylvestri said some people now have damaged furnaces and hot water tanks, as well as contaminated carpets and furniture.

Failed sump pumps and leaking foundations are causing flooding in some basements, he added.

The city said it has received at least 83 reports of clean water leaking into properties and 100 reports of plugged or slow-draining catch basins over the weekend.