Strong winds, high water levels lead to flooding along western shores of Lake Winnipeg
People living in and around Gimli, Man. are cleaning up after high lake levels and heavy winds caused flooding along the western shores of Lake Winnipeg.
The situation sent waves crashing onto lakefront properties and swamped some popular destinations over the weekend, prompting calls for a better warning system to respond to similar situations in the future.
“We were looking at the clouds and they were massive,” said Gimli resident Penny Ross. “I’ve never seen big clouds like that. They were really black. They were like a monster coming towards you.”
Ross was surveying the damage Monday with her mom, after photos circulated on social media showing the Gimli seawall and harbour flooded.
Fortunately, the water had receded amid shifting and calmer winds.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said heavy winds over a sustained period of time caused lake water to pile up on shore - a phenomenon known as a seiche.
“If the lake levels are high, then of course it can gush on shore and cause issues, which is what seems to have happened there,” said ECCC Meteorologist Terri Lang.
Properties on Willow Island were among the hardest hit. Some residents of the area just south of Gimli told CTV News Winnipeg they received little to no warning from local officials about the impact of the storm on their homes and on the roads on the island.
“They would like us to try and get some kind of a warning out on our website which our administration is going to work on,” said Lynn Greenberg, mayor of the R.M. of Gimli.
Greenberg said some properties were damaged and basements flooded because of the rain and wind, but he couldn’t immediately provide an exact number.
He said he’s concerned about the impact of the high lake levels because of the potential for more severe weather throughout the remainder of summer and fall.
“It’s never a good scene when somebody gets flooded,” Greenberg said.
The lake currently sits more than 717 feet above sea level, which is more than two feet above its recommended maximum operating range.
It is a factor Ross worries could cause more problems.
“We haven’t had it this high, well none of us can remember seeing the lake this high because we’ve had so much water this year that it just keeps on expanding and expanding,” Ross said.
The province said in a statement its Emergency Coordination Centre is responding to the unprecedented flooding across Manitoba and continues to support municipalities in their flood fighting and recovery efforts.
A provincial spokesperson said municipalities are responsible for giving support and direction to their residents.
No damage estimates from the winds in Gimli were immediately available.
The province said a Disaster Financial Assistance program has already been set up to ensure flood relief’s available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.