Some southern Manitoba municipalities intend to seek disaster financial assistance from the province, after a three-day deluge washed out sections of rural roads and flooded basements.
The Rural Municipality of Stanley will submit a claim for disaster financial assistance from the Manitoba government, after some areas had about 200 mm of rain, said Reeve Ike Friesen.
“It definitely is costing us extra money,” he said, noting it was too early to estimate the financial cost of storm-related damage in the RM. “In that claim, residents can be part of that.”
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Some people launched kayaks or canoes on flooded residential streets in the Steinbach area after a deluge of rain this week. Pictured from front to back are Hailey Friesen, Wells Penner, and Seth Friesen.
The highest recorded rainfall total over the 72 hours, up until Wednesday afternoon, was 208.4 millimetres in Elma, while 159 mm fell in Winkler and 155 mm in Steinbach, said Christy Climenhaga, a scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
“There were very, very high amounts of rainfall in that kind of bull’s eye, making it a 100-year event,” she said, referring to a band of heavy rain from Winkler to the Manitoba-Ontario boundary. “It was a very incredible rain event for southeastern Manitoba.”
She said it’s not common to get so much rain at this time of year. Winnipeg, which received 20 to 30 mm, typically gets 53 mm of precipitation for all of September.
The deluge began with a low-pressure system that arrived Monday, and continued with a second system Wednesday.
Rain and thunderstorms are expected in parts of Manitoba on Thursday.
In his RM, Friesen said some culverts washed out, while villages in the eastern part of the municipality, including Reinfeld, were dealing with overland flooding in basements and streets.
RM staff were operating large pumps in some flooded areas.
“It’s all under control,” said Friesen, who helped stack sandbags outside a Reinfeld home where floodwater entered a basement through window wells. “We just have to work with it now.”
Some fields were under water, meaning there will be implications for farmers. Some were ready to harvest, said Friesen.
“There’s a lot of crop out there, canola especially.”
Steinbach was also hit hard by overland flooding. Mixed sewage backed up into some basements, said Mayor Earl Funk.
“Lots of communities are struggling with so much rain,” he said.
Funk said Steinbach’s storm water pump, rated for 485 litres per second, was pumping at that level during the deluge.
He received 16 reports of washouts on gravel roads. Those sections will have to be rebuilt, he said.
Funk said he hopes the province helps flood-hit homeowners.
“It would be nice if they could see their way to disaster financial assistance, just for the uninsured costs,” he said.
The province had not received requests for disaster assistance from communities or the public as of Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson said.
A government spokesperson said the Emergency Management Organization is working with a number of communities.
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Landon Friesen took his homemade canoe for a paddle with his children and his neighbour’s children.
Pictured from front to back are Landon Friesen, Hailey Friesen, Wells and Elise Penner.
“EMO has been working with a number of communities as they respond to impacts from this recent rainfall event,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.
Disaster assistance programs may be offered if three criteria are met. Damages must be widespread and affect a large area or number of residents, they must be mostly uninsurable, and they must represent a significant financial burden.
Funk said his spirits were lifted by Steinbach residents who pitched in to help neighbours whose homes sustained flood damage.
Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue was cleaning up Wednesday, after the shelter’s basement flooded almost two weeks following a grand opening.
In a Facebook post, the shelter thanked people who had donated food and supplies for animals, and dropped off water pumps, lights and extension cords.
Some people launched kayaks or canoes on flooded residential streets.
“We got absolutely hammered with rain,” said Landon Friesen, who took his homemade canoe for a paddle with his children Rhaiya, 11, Seth, 10 and Hailey, eight, and his neighbours’ children. “It typically does flood there, but that was the worst we’ve seen.”
He said they helped push a vehicle out of floodwater, after it stalled in a deeper spot.
“I feel for all the people that did get water in their basements,” he said.
The City of Winnipeg’s 311 service received 12 reports of raw sewage or clean water back-up, and 18 reports of plugged catch basins by 4 p.m. Wednesday, following a period of heavy rain earlier in the day, said spokesman Kalen Qually.
Steve Kolbuck, owner of Winnipeg-based Roy’s Rooter, was busy clearing clogs from catch basins and drains at homes with flooded basements.
The deepest floodwater was 76 mm, he said.
“It rained so hard and so fast,” said Kolbuck, who encouraged people to check their sump pumps to ensure they are working properly, or catch basins to see if water is rising.
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris Kitching
Reporter
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
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