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2011年4月22日星期五

Prairie flooding move 1,000 as storms to displacement is

More than 1,000 people have been displaced across the Prairie provinces by the rivers increasing threat of overflow their banks.

In Manitoba, people about 866 already have been forced from their homes because the mouse, Assiniboine River and Red poured on their banks in some places.

Most of the evacuations were precautionary, as officials are more concerned with roads being washed, which would isolate persons who may need help.

More than 600 municipal roads have been closed by the flooding, which officials say is much more widespread than the last flood bad in 2009. There are 32 States of emergency declared premises, compared to 16 in 2009.

Rivers of the region are always fully this time of year as the melting of the snow, but officials say water levels are some of the higher levels since the beginning of the record-keeping.

The Souris River in the southwest of the province, a grouse at the Melita, but it is expected of high water levels will be drag as long as a week. Except in the case of severe weather, no other ridges are expected, but red and Assiniboine rivers meet at Winnipeg, have not yet to crest. They are the pace to do so at the same time, perhaps in early May.

"The good news is - at least in terms of storm systems - they're plowing in half East of the country," CBC News meteorologist says Michelle Leslie. "" "". The jet stream is really puncture them south of the Prairie provinces. ?

Evacuation centres are open in several municipalities throughout Manitoba to accommodate persons expelled by the floods, reports Sean Kavanagh of the CBC.

In neighbouring Saskatchewan Watershed Authority warned that floodwaters have not yet his earlier in the eastern part of the province. More than a dozen communities of the province are in a State of emergency.

Thursday, two other communities in Saskatchewan - Standing Buffalo First Nation and the village of Lebret - stated to flood emergencies.

Volunteers were sandbagging around Standing Buffalo to protect homes and school. Several families have been relocated. The community is approximately 80 kilometres northeast of Regina.

The battle of the River at North Battleford is expected to Crest as early as Friday. Regina Wascana Creek should Crest some time early next week. But officials hope that the level will be not much higher than it already is.

There is some good news in the province, as the melting of the snow ended in many areas. Peak flows took place, water levels are declining in some places. Last Mountain Lake peak in early May.

It is the Cypress Hills area that everyone watching.

The Frenchman River should still see a flood nasty, something which has not hit the region since 1952. Weyburn, Swift Current to Moose Jaw water levels continue to decline.

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2011年4月20日星期三

Flooding of the Prairies needed permanent fix: Aboriginal leaders

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Native leaders whose communities have been most affected by Prairie floods year after year pleaded Tuesday for a permanent solution, as the region struggled with the worst flooding the Prairies have seen in 150 years.

Nearly 700 people on reserves in Manitoba and 440 in Saskatchewan have been forced from their homes by flooding.

Floodwaters are still rising in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In Manitoba, the Red River and Assiniboine River are on the verge of cresting any day now and Saskatchewan officials warn the flood threat will last at least until the end of the month.

At least 32 municipalities in Manitoba have declared states of local emergency and 55 provincial roads are fully closed.

Ice jams have already been pushing water levels over the banks for many communities in Manitoba even though crest levels are still at least a week away. Although the Red River is virtually ice free now, ice flowing west to east along the Assiniboine is pushing water levels up around the Winnipeg area. Forecasters say it's possible the Red and Assiniboine Rivers will both crest in Winnipeg near the end of the month.

The ice jam along the Assiniboine over the weekend is moving east toward Winnipeg, where a 0.3-metre rise in water levels is expected Tuesday, said CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe.

The weekend precipitation has been taken into account. Although the forecast crest levels are pretty much the same for the major rivers, smaller tributaries may experience a double crest as the new precipitation enters into the watershed. Many tributaries in Saskatchewan will actually experience their first crest over the next couple of days, she said.

"Temperatures are rising across the west as well; this will increase snowmelt although luckily overnight lows should remain cold enough to moderate the rate."

Near the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border, Ed Houle has just 48 hours to save his home. The Assiniboine River, which lies at the foot of his backyard, is expected to crest on Thursday.

"It's just seeping in," he told the CBC's Marisa Dragani. "I got two pumps down there. Hopefully, the power doesn't kick off. If it does, I'm in deep trouble," he said.

Micheal Handler stands on his flooded property in Petersfield, Man., as Premier Greg Selinger warns the worst may not yet be over.Micheal Handler stands on his flooded property in Petersfield, Man., as Premier Greg Selinger warns the worst may not yet be over. Tevor Hagan/Winnipeg Free Press/Canadian Press

In Manitoba, the rising floodwaters have forced hundreds of people from their homes and most of the affected houses are on three First Nations reserves. It's a situation that has happened before, leading to a lot of anger and frustration among residents.

"It's been like that every year. ... Sick of it, yeah, but what can you do?" said Philip Sinclair who was filling sandbags and building dikes on the Peguis First Nation, north of Winnipeg.

This is the sixth flood in three years. Already, the Fisher River has surrounded or filled nearly 200 homes with water. More than 500 people from this community have left as part of a voluntary evacuation.

Aurilia Thickfoot, 96, has left in previous floods, but says she's determined to stay this time: "Because the other times, they put me in that hotel by the airport. They put me on the main floor and the room was filthy, dirty, stinking."

She said it's time Ottawa did something to protect homes like hers.

"It makes me angry what they do to us, that's how they treat us Indians, and they think it's good enough for us."

In Saskatchewan, 15 communities have declared states of emergency and more than 400 people on two First Nations have been forced from their homes by flooding.

The main road on the Red Earth First Nation has been washed out.

Band councillor Charlie McKay said these floods are becoming too frequent.

McKay said it's time the province and Ottawa consider a longer term solution, to avoid floods in the future.

"This is our third time. I think there's something that could be done or something that could be avoided," McKay said.

"I don't think the people want to see a fourth one."

At a campaign stop in Winnipeg Tuesday, Leader Leader Michael Ignatieff laid out a Liberal plan to deal with springtime Prairie flooding.

The two-year, $225-million fresh water strategy is contained in the Liberal platform. Ignatieff said the plan involves looking at the "best science" to develop long term solutions to the problem of flooding.

It also involves the federal government working with the provinces and municipalities. The plan would solicit advice from hydraulic engineers, water experts and community leaders.

Ignatieff said the plan would also look at how best to clean up Lake Winnipeg, the 10th largest fresh water lake in the world. Lake Winnipeg is said to be deteriorating and in the state that Lake Erie was in the '60s.

Ignatieff said there is a need to work with aboriginal leaders to deal with the issue of flood protection on reserves.

"It's extremely important to base a fresh water and flood prevention strategy on the best science," Ignatieff said.

"There is legitimate disagreement about what is the best way to go here. We need to get a scientific consensus, a community consensus, on the best way to go. And that is why I think investment in a fresh water strategy is a national project that will help us to identify exactly how we get long-term solutions to this problem."

Steve Ashton, Manitoba's minister responsible for emergency measures, said nearly $1 billion has been spent to protect the Red River Valley in Winnipeg, and areas north of the city. But there is no on-going fund, and no national strategy.

"We have been providing assistance during this flood event. Do these communities need permanent flood mitigation? Absolutely," he said.

"When you're looking at First Nations, the most important thing is the impact it has on people — many of same people are being evacuated [again]."

Ashton told CBC News Network that Manitoba is seeing "overland flooding on an unprecedented geographic scale."

"Pretty well from The Pas south in Manitoba we have some degree of flooding in the vast majority of our municipalities," he said.

Officials there are watching the crest on three rivers — the Assiniboine, the Red and the Souris, Ashton said.

Conservative leader Stephen Harper called Manitoba's premier last weekend to talk about the flood. Greg Selinger told him First Nations communities are the most vulnerable and need help.

The chief of Peguis said permanent flood protection, including a diversion and permanent dyking, will cost between $30 million and $190 million.

The department of Indian Affairs said it has set aside $750,000 for dikes and to relocate and elevate 75 at-risk homes. It has also spent $3 million on sandbags and labour costs.

Meanwhile, people living in the Red River Valley, south of Winnipeg are having a hard time getting around. They're isolated because many of the roads are either washed out or under flood water. And water levels are still rising.

On Monday, the province shut down Highway 75, the main highway between Winnipeg and the U.S. border, severing a major transportation link.

"Every mile costs a lot of money, just with the detours and extra miles, it's a lot of extra cost. For us, it's huge. Drivers have to put on more hours," said Bill Brandt, co-owner of a trucking company based in Morris, Man.

Local businesses are also hurt when the highway is flooded.

"Unfortunately, I will probably cut back on staff. The restaurant hours get shortened," said Liz Wiebe, who manages a gas bar and restaurant.

Morris has benefited from the $1 billion spent on flood-proofing the Red River Valley since the "Flood of the Century" in 1997. It has a permanent ring dike that keeps it dry.

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