Steinbach, nearby communities flooded in massive overnight deluge

Some residents of Steinbach were mopping up and assessing damage Friday after the southeastern Manitoba city was swamped by two months’ worth of rain in about four hours.

An animal rescue charity was hit by catastrophe again when basements and streets flooded almost a year to the day a deluge inundated buildings.

“Last year, they told us it was a one-in-1oo-year event, and here we are 11 months later with the same event,” said Graham Pollock, vice-president of Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue.

He said the organization moved almost two dozen cats and kittens to foster homes after nearly 2.1 metres (seven feet) of floodwater filled the shelter’s basement overnight Thursday.

“It was right up to the windows. It was much more than we had (last year), which was about 2 1/2 feet of water,” Pollock said, while pumps were used to remove water from the non-profit’s lower level, where food and supplies were stored. Animals are kept on the main floor.

The organization’s new building has flooded twice since it opened in June 2024.

Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Crawford Luke said a volunteer weather observer in Steinbach reported 134.6 millimetres of rain, which was the highest amount as of Friday morning.

A provincial weather station in Kleefeld, just west of Steinbach, recorded 103 mm after thunderstorms lit up skies in southern Manitoba. Sprague received 86.4 mm and Marchand 57.6 mm, Luke said.

No severe thunderstorm or rainfall warning was issued. A severe thunderstorm watch was issued at 10:44 p.m. after the downpour began.

Luke, who works a day shift, said he doesn’t know why a warning wasn’t put in place during the night shift.

“I think it’s fair to say a warning should have been issued, so from that standpoint it’s a missed event, for sure, on our part,” he said.

Steinbach typically receives 50-60 mm of rain in September.

“Within the span of four hours last night, they basically had two months’ worth of rainfall,” Luke said.

In September 2024, Steinbach received about 150 mm of rain over 72 hours.

The number of homes, businesses and other properties that flooded this time was not yet known. Mayor Earl Funk said flooding was widespread, with sewer backups reported by some homeowners. Open drainage channels, creeks and ditches spilled their banks.

“Many of the same people flooded (last year). It’s just so horribly frustrating,” he said. “I just feel for residents that have gone through this time and time again.”

Steinbach’s TG Smith Arena will be closed for at least two weeks after it sustained flood damage, Funk said. Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club was forced to close.

The City of Steinbach said its gravity sewer system and facilities were fully functional, and operated at capacity during and until well after the storm.

The sewer system returned to normal operating levels Friday morning. Steinbach announced about $6.5 million in sewer upgrades in February.

Streets in Niverville and La Broquerie also flooded.

Niverville’s Main Street was under water when resident Joel Stratychuk went to check on a property owned by his parents shortly after 12:30 a.m. Friday.

“It was just a river, basically,” he said.

A few vehicles stalled when drivers tried to go through the floodwater, Stratychuk said.

Funk said Steinbach — Manitoba’s third most-populated city, with more than 17,000 residents — is hoping the Manitoba government sets up a disaster financial assistance (DFA) program to help with costs not covered by insurance.

“It was really a natural disaster,” said Funk, whose basement flooded. “Our sump pump couldn’t keep up. We were working on it for a few hours to stay ahead of the water.”

Last year’s flooding did not qualify for provincial assistance, said the mayor, who believed this year’s event was more widespread.

“I don’t know what we can do, but I definitely want to work together with our staff to see what we can do going forward to take care that this doesn’t happen to this degree again,” he said.

The province has not yet decided whether a DFA program will be established for this storm, a spokesperson said.

Pollock said Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue’s building will likely be out of use for three months while the basement is repaired.

The charity paid a $25,000 insurance deductible last year, and will have to do so again.

“For a not-for-profit that relies solely on charity, donations and gifts, to cut a cheque for $25,000 is a huge hit for us,” Pollock said.

After receiving offers of help, Pollock said monetary donations are preferred because the non-profit doesn’t have a place to store pet food and other items.

Luke said a low-level jet — a fast-moving band of air that is closer to the ground than a typical jet stream — and a build-up of moisture set off the thunderstorms.

“They were pretty slow-moving. That kind of allowed for rainfall to really accumulate quite quickly in particular over Steinbach, but quite a few areas,” Luke said.

More rain is possible Sunday and Monday, with the odd shower possible before then, he said.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca