Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Brandon evacuates more areas, including shopping centre

By: Bartley Kives

Posted: 05/12/2011 5:05 PM | Comments: 0

Giant "superbags" keep the swollen Assiniboine River at bay in Brandon's Assiniboine Valley at 18th Street and Kirkcaldy Drive. Traffic has been reduced to two lanes and a neighbouring big-box shopping centre was closed to reduce traffic alongside the dike. The only other major route across the valley, First Street, has been shut down leaving 18th as the only north-south route open. (PHIL.HOSSACK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA)

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The low-lying Corral Centre big-box shopping development is among the latest areas of Brandon to be evacuated due to flooding on the Assiniboine River.

The Assiniboine dropped slightly at Brandon today but is expected to rise another foot before it crests on May 18.

Nonetheless, the Corral Centre — which includes a Wal-Mart and a Home Depot — was under a mandatory precautionary evacuation order today at 1 p.m.

Officials said it would be difficult to evacuate any busy commercial area quickly and safely in the event the city's dikes were to fail.

A combination of permanent and makeshift dikes have succeeded so far due to the combined efforts of the city, province and the Canadian Armed Forces.

A triple layer of super sandbags is keeping the Assiniboine from inundating 18th Street, one of two river crossings in Brandon. The pavement on 18th Street at Grand Valley Road is about 2.3 metres below the water level.

As of today, 1,326 people remain evacuated in Brandon.

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