'Traumatizing': Whiteshell residents begin cleanup after weeks of severe flooding

Destroyed boathouses and missing docks are just some of the damages Whiteshell residents are returning to after floodwaters forced many to evacuate the area.

Heather and Roy Howie have been battling flood waters at their year-round home near Dorothy Lake for weeks.

"I don't like to use the word traumatizing, but it has been because this has been going on for more than a month," said Heather. "It started early in May that the water started to rise."

The couple was forced to evacuate after floodwaters cut off access to the region.

The water has since started to recede, and the province has temporarily raised Highway 307, allowing the Howies to come back home.

The water has damaged their backyard, gazebo and boat launch. They also have to remove hundreds of sandbags.

"Cleanup is going to go very slowly. It's going to be very hard physical labour, and I think we'll do one day at a time, and we can only plan as we go," said Heather

In a statement to CTV News Winnipeg, the province said it is also starting on cleanup.

"There is a tremendous effort underway with the deployment of inspectors, claims managers and the full DFA team to ensure eligibility of damages is confirmed asap so construction can start, non-construction damages can be assessed, and then funds can swiftly [be distributed]," read part of the emailed statement.

The province said 80 municipal claims and more than 500 private claims have been filed for 2022 disaster financial assistance -- totalling tens of millions of dollars.

The Whiteshell Cottagers' Association said many cottagers are left paying out of pocket for the damages though, as most insurance doesn't cover floods, and cottages have been left out of the relief funds.

"It's a real tragedy for people, and that's something as the Whiteshell Cottagers' Association I'd like to see us address again because these phenomena that we're seeing, they're happening more," said Ian Barager, the association's president.

The association said almost all cabins on the shores of lakes experienced some damage, noting cleanup updates would be provided on its Facebook page.

As for permanent residents like the Howies, they said they'd like to see a better emergency plan created for when an event like this happens again.

"Because we're not a municipality, there is no emergency plan in place, which I find really surprising being that this is a river system that is managed by several falls," said Heather.

She said a new emergency plan would get boots on the ground faster, helping people like her in flood situations.