KENORA - The flooding in the Northwest is starting to look dire. Kenora’s Black Sturgeons Lake residents are fighting back raging water which threat their homes by banding with sandbags as they wait for word from the city to tell them help is on the way.
The evacuation effort in Kenora is steady. Municipal Emergency Control Group and city roads patrol have actively monitored the flooding situation over the weekend.
The City of Kenora states, “It is important that the public understands this is a very serious situation, not to be dismissed. There are more than eighteen inches of water on top of the roads in most cases. Continuing to attempt to build up roads or install new culverts is no longer a viable path forward given the current volumes of water.”
The city’s water level on Lake of the Woods, the Winnipeg River, and Black Sturgeon Lake steadily rises, hampering any repair efforts to East Mellick and Essex Road.
“Our Municipal Emergency Control Group and city roads patrol have been actively monitoring the flooding situation over the weekend. The city is concerned about rising water levels on many of the roads, of which some have seen significant water level increases over the past 24 hours. Given the rapidly changing state, the city advises that anyone with residences north of the bypass should be monitoring their homes and the possibility of flooding in their areas,” the City of Kenora states in a recent press update.
The city has issued a flood watch that is now in effect for the Carlton Road, Anderson Branch Road and Peterson Road, as road patrols are concerned with rising water levels in these areas.
For residents living along those roads, not only is it firmly advised to monitor the water levels, they should be ready to receive an evacuation order at any time.
The Emergency Operations Centre has established an evacuation centre at the Kenora Recreation Centre.
Sandbags continue to be available for residents at Fire Station One at 100 Fourteenth Street North. It is strictly encouraged that residents who require sandbags to protect their homes in areas should act quickly while they still have road access.
The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry regional and district offices have sandbags available for the residents living in unincorporated areas.
Sand is also available for residents at local aggregate pits. Aggregate material should not be taken from private aggregate pits without permission.
