Community cut off after flooding washes out roads in western Manitoba
Flooding that has washed out many roads and bridges in western Manitoba has cut off one community from the outside world.
"We can't get out of here at all," Robert Hanson said Monday from Mafeking, a community of 130 residents.
Bridges to the north and south of Mafeking were severely damaged by heavy rain late last week that combined with melting snow in and around Duck Mountain Provincial Park.
"Such high water came out of there, it just washed out everything in its path," said Hanson, who is reeve of the Rural Municipality of Mountain, which includes Mafeking and some other hard-hit communities.
Another highway to the west has sections that are under water.
"We've got washouts all over the place."
Mafeking's ambulance station has been closed because the ambulance was outside the community when the bridge washed out and cannot get back. Anyone needing medical care will have to be taken out by helicopter.
In other communities, roads, bridges and culverts were washed out. There were at least three provincial bridges severely damaged and many municipal roads inundated.
"It's been very devastating in that region," said Doyle Piwniuk, minister for emergency measures.
Hanson said he and others in Mafeking might be able to leave in three days when a bridge to the north is expected to reopen.
The flooding in western Manitoba is the latest disaster to hit the province, which has been dealing with high water for weeks.
In the central region, more than 1,800 people from the Peguis First Nation are still out of their homes due to the swollen Fisher River.
South of Winnipeg, the Red River has started to recede but still resembles a vast lake in many areas, covering farmland and roads. A section of Highway 75, the main link between the provincial capital and the United States, remained closed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.