25°c Partly cloudy
18°c Cloudy periods
Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Brandon shifts aid to Oak Lake
Adrian Van Aert (left) and Kelly Morris help with the loading of pallets of sandbags onto a semi-trailer Sunday morning in Oakville. Oakville received sandbag filling machines Saturday after running out of sandbags with at-risk properties still in need or protection. (DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Flood Fight
-
The latest news about flooding in southern Manitoba this spring.
-
Points of interest in Manitoba's flood fight
-
Compare today's river level in Winnipeg with levels during the 1950, 1997 and 2009 floods.
BRANDON - As the Assiniboine River begins its predicted crest in Brandon today, the city feels confident enough in its flood-protection that it is sending surplus sandbags to help the fight in Oak Lake.
The Brandon Sun is also sending a team to Oak Lake today, where citizens have been rebuffed in their efforts to cut a trench through the highway that is holding back water in the lake.
Provincial officials said yesterday that Oak Lake had surpassed the official flood stage, reaching 430.43 metres above sea level, and hadn't yet reached its crest.
Warm weather has allowed dike improvements to be finished faster and with better materials, the city said this morning at its daily media briefing.
Sunday morning, as a precaution, residents who live immediately north of the river were briefed on what to do in case of a dike breach, although they weren't ordered to evacuate at this point.
Today, Mayor Shari Decter Hirst said that there would be a lot of information put out this afternoon about activities for children of evacuee. A movie night, for example, has been planned for Friday.
About 1,300 people remain evacuated from low-lying areas south of the Assiniboine. The province's Emergency Management Organization will pay for reasonable costs for evacuees' pets in kennels, and the province also has counsellors in place to provide help for humans.
The city is also working to gather information for those who are unemployed due to evacuated businesses or layoffs.
For now, workers should call Service Canada for information.
There's no evidence that crime has been a problem in the vacant areas, police said this morning. The evacuation zone has been regularly patrolled by police, Citizens on Patrol, and private security. Access in and out of the zone is tightly restricted.
On Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Victoria Inn, the Brandon Chamber of Commerce will hold a meeting for businesses impacted by the flood. Subjects will include insurance claims and tax issues.
A call for volunteer translators -- including Mandarin and Spanish -- on the weekend was answered and was "very helpful," said the mayor.
Meanwhile, semi trucks are still barred from 18th Street North. Cyclists and pedestrians are asked to avoid the area.
Crews are still working on First Street North. Yesterday, officials were talking cautiously about a mid-week "limited" opening
Highway 110 is still restricted to truck traffic only. It's been reduced to a single lane, and a pilot vehicle is escorting trucks in each direction.
The city holds its morning media briefing every day at 10:30 a.m. This story will be updated.
Fact Check
Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.
More Latest News
- Back to Top
- Return to Latest News
More Latest News
(1 of 48 articles for today)
Forest fire situation unpredictable, premier says
7:04 PM 0Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger insists it’s too early and unpredictable to be optimistic about forest fire season in the province ...
Poll
Most Popular Latest News
- Young girl found dead on railway tracks
- Winnipeg man given 2-year sentence for coma-inducing 'sucker punch'
- Child in critical condition after West End crash
- Man convicted of drunk driving in Henderson pile-up
- Court told driver hysterical after vehicle fatally hit highway worker
- Teen on train tracks from York Landing
- Saskatchewan considering hydro deal with Manitoba
- McMunn & Yates absorbs five McDiarmid locations
- California 'Night Stalker' serial killer Richard Ramirez dies at 53
- HSC Home Lottery winners announced
- Young girl found dead on railway tracks
- HSC Home Lottery winners announced
- Winnipeg man given 2-year sentence for coma-inducing 'sucker punch'
- RCMP say woman deliberately murdered her sister with her car
- Toronto woman dead in rural Manitoba ATV wreck
- Jaimie Creasy becomes first woman to graduate from RRC with degree
- Child in critical condition after West End crash
- Manitoba restaurant stops selling giant hamburger "for obvious reasons"
- Bomber fans wowed by new stadium
- Portage Ave. stretch re-opens after Friday-night bomb scare
- Young girl found dead on railway tracks
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Hailstorm wreaks havoc on Winnipeg garden centre
- 87-year-old woman tells jurors, 'Somebody had to stand up to' Donald Trump
- Two people killed in crash north of Winnipeg
- Two Winnipeg teens identified as victims of crash
- HSC Home Lottery winners announced
- Father, daughter seriously injured in ATV crash
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Filipino singer Charice comes out as lesbian; Catholic official says she's in identity crisis
- At 55, I'm wise to what's real in life
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Craig Ferguson adds second show
- Make it look natural; companies work to make packaged foods appear homespun
- McMunn & Yates absorbs five McDiarmid locations
- Teens can join Let It Out Summer Rock Camp
- City-wide average mosquito count drops
- Scientists meet to discuss weird British weather, say soggy summers likely for a few years
- New Flyer awarded Atlanta bus contract
- Suspect arrested after North End sex assault
- App could give Winnipeggers chance to report bad parking, get paid
- At 55, I'm wise to what's real in life
- Sobeys gobbles up Safeway
- Priest kept silent about accusations against Storheim, court hears
- Manitoba restaurant stops selling giant hamburger "for obvious reasons"
- Basic arithmetic back in class
- Yaz and Yasmin pills linked to 23 deaths, say Health Canada documents
- Geothermal heat coming to some Manitoba First Nations
- Spiralling cost of land raises new home prices
- Jaimie Creasy becomes first woman to graduate from RRC with degree
- New owner for lumber stores
- Chiropractor guilty of sexually assaulting, beating ex-girlfriend
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- Door openers being used to break into garages, police warn
- Province formally opens Mental Health Crisis Response Centre
- Hailstorm wreaks havoc on Winnipeg garden centre
- New rules let customers cancel phone contracts without penalty after two years
- App could give Winnipeggers chance to report bad parking, get paid
- At 55, I'm wise to what's real in life
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.