Heavy rains cause flooding around Winnipeg

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This article was published 21/08/2014 (3145 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Torrential downpours have cancelled several events and flooded buildings in the city.

Both the Goldeyes game and races at the Red River Co-op Speedway have been cancelled.

Reports on Twitter showed flooding at Polo Park shopping centre, as well as at the planetarium by the Manitoba Museum. Greg Klassen from the museum stated that it will likely be open as usual on Friday. “As far as I know at this moment, everything will go ahead tomorrow,” he said.

Empress Street at Polo Park, as well as Broadway and Osborne were reportedly washed out.

Environment Canada was forecasting between 40 mm and 50 mm of rain in the city tonight. A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect in Winnipeg.

Mike Russo, severe weather meteorologist at Environment Canada, said the storm was created by a slow-moving cold front that had a line of thunderstorms along it. The most severe of those storms is going through Winnipeg. Russo said Environment Canada has received reports from 25 mm to 50 mm of rain throughout the city. To add insult to injury, the storm seems to be taking its time going over the city.

“The problem is the front itself is moving ever-so-slowly, and the showers and thunderstorms are quasi not moving at all,” he said.

That means there could be an extra 10mm to 30 mm of rain, he said.

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The storm should stabilize by Friday though, Russo said. The next best chance of rain is on Sunday, he said.

‎Rainwater also permeated Winnipeg’s new police headquarters, where the basement suffered from flooding. Restoration vans carrying vacuums entered the Graham Avenue structure shortly before 10 p.m.

Caspian Construction owner Armik Babakhanians, whose company is overseeing the $172-million renovation of the former Canada Post building, said there was no damage.

– with file from Bartley Kives