Manitoba’s floods worsen; Quebec’s recede

BRANDON, Man. — It took International Trucks dealer Mike Kraftsman an hour to get home from work Friday.

The trip usually takes 15 minutes.

The flooding of the Assiniboine around Brandon, Man. is causing vehicular anarchy.

In fact the city declared a state of emergency this weekend.

And, Kraftsman tells todaystrucking.com, it looks like things might get worse before they get better.

"I’ve never seen anything like this before," said Kraftsman, a manager at Maxim Truck & Trailer. "I think a few car dealerships have had to move their inventory to other parts of town so their new cars aren’t ruined."

Dikes have already been set up to protect areas along 18th street, one of the main accesses to town, and Kraftsman says he’s monitoring the river closely and wouldn’t be surprised if it crests later today or tomorrow.

(Local weather reports indicate it will).

Further downriver, towards Winnipeg, the government has called in the army for help.

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger told a news conference Sunday that dikes must raised or strengthened along the Assiniboine between Portage la Prairie to the Headingly, which is just west of Winnipeg.

"Last weekend’s storms and the additional rain forecast in the next two to four days will result in unprecedented flows of water on the Assiniboine River," Selinger said.

Provincial flood forecaster Steve Topping told reporters he expects another 20 and 50 millimeters of rain over next few days, compounding logistics concerns further.

Canadian troops were also sent into Quebec last week after heavy flooding forced thousands from their homes.

But those floods are now receding. Authorities expect levels to drop about four centimeters a day in the coming week, barring rain.