'We are breathing a sigh of relief': RM of Morris reeve on flood situation
Water watchers are cautiously optimistic now that the Red River crest has passed through the Rural Municipality of Morris.
Reeve Ralph Groening said although the crest was recorded in the area last Friday, so far water levels have dropped by only a few inches.
“We’ll need a drop of two feet before people can begin the process of moving back into their homes, but there is hope,” Groening told CTV Morning Live on Monday.
On the weekend, the province confirmed the Red River peaked at Ste. Agathe, St. Adolphe and the Red River Floodway inlet on May 13. While it is stable or declining upstream of Winnipeg, the river is still expected to remain high likely into June.
Groening said this spring’s flooding has displaced about 150 residents. Of the 75 evacuation notices issued, residents of 50 properties chose to leave. Others who stayed did so to care for animals that could not be taken out of flood areas. Across Manitoba, more than 2000 residents are still away from their homes due to flooding.
Those who are anxious to return to a more normal life on their own property will have to wait for more than just the water to recede. When it does drop off, Groening said it’s likely to reveal damage that will have to be fixed before residents can gain full access again.
“We have dozens of roads that are still covered that will need repair, we have culvert washouts and we have debris. A huge flood deposits a lot of debris in low-lying areas so we are going to have to respond to that. We must repair the roads to an extent that people will be able to safely reach places from which they evacuated,” said Groening.
Some area communities, such as the Town of Morris, have had road and highway access severely restricted, affecting the flow of truck and car traffic. Groening said that’s not been the case for the main business centre of the RM, which is Rosenort. Rosenort is about 20 kilometres northwest of Morris and about 12 kilometres farther west of the Red River. That community has not seen access affected to the same extent as other towns.
Groening said the RM council plans to meet Monday morning to review and establish a plan to begin fixing damaged infrastructure as water continues to recede.
“I think we’re cautiously optimistic that we are looking at the end of the flood of 2022,”
With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé and Mason DePatie
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING 'Just wait': Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city amid multiple reports
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
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.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.