The Rural Municipality of St. Andrews says about 20 homes have been affected by rising waters and four have flooded.
Mayor George Pike says an ice jam caused water on Netley Creek to rise overnight, causing water to spill over banks and onto properties.
Firefighters from three detachments and the crews from RM's public work department have been sandbagging, pumping and laying tube dikes to stop water from entering homes.
Pike says the RM prepared 5,000 sandbags to fight the flooding -- 1,000 have been used so far.
Dawn-Anne Swain's grandmother's home is one of the flooded properties. Saturday afternoon, water up to her knees surrounded the home.
"Definitely there is lots of water this year, and it's definitely come up pretty fast, and because it was too late to do anything here, it's a little bit nerve-wracking," says Swain.
READ MORE: Overland flooding prompts state of emergency in southern Manitoba
Number of homes flooded along Netley Creek in Petersfield. RM of St. Andrews and fire fighters on scene. #ctvwpg #mbflood pic.twitter.com/LT5VhJshNF
— Beth Macdonell (@BethCTV) April 1, 2017
Swain says the water came up so quickly the family didn't have time to sandbag it.
“It's just a bit overwhelming,” says Swain's sister, Christy Olson.
READ MORE: 25 Winnipeg properties need sandbag dikes: city
Pike says the town of Petersfield has battled floods in the past, but this year was different for two reasons. One reason was because the RM didn’t know where the ice jam was located.
The second reason was because water poured in from all different directions, including culverts.
In an email to CTV News, a provincial spokesperson says this ice jam is not floodway operation-related.
“Ice jamming has historically occurred at this location. Previous flood outlooks have noted the potential for ice jam related flooding,” says the spokesperson.
Flooded driveways common today on properties around Netley Creek in Petersfield in RM of St. Andrews. #ctvwpg #mbflood pic.twitter.com/MVndwSbPWy
— Beth Macdonell (@BethCTV) April 1, 2017
On the other side of the creek, Swain's childhood home water was also threatened. Saturday morning, water came up against the edge of the home.
By midafternoon, crews managed to pump water away and prevent serious damage.
Maureen Paskaruk points to floodwater surrounding her home in Petersfield, Man. on April 1, 2017. (Photo: Beth Macdonell/CTV Winnipeg)
It was also a nerve-wracking night for Maureen Paskaruk. She watched the water rise to the edge of her home.
She says it was too late to sandbag, so her husband started pumping. Luckily by Saturday afternoon, the water started residing.
"I was hauling clay to stop the water from coming and then it seemed to be okay, and then the water started rising again," says Paskaruk.
She says another couple on her street weren't as luckily. After water surround the property, they were forced to leave.
Pike says flooding has also caused washouts along five roads throughout the RM.
"It's a time element. We realize that everyone has situations, but if we would know if it was four hours, or eight hours or 12 hours, it would have helped us out, but right now we feel certain that the ice is now moving," said Pike.
