Manitoba receives 'unprecedented' levels of flooding
Canada is no stranger to flooding problems, but officials say Manitoba is seeing water levels that have never affected so much of the province at once.
Steve Ashton, Manitoba's Infrastructure and Transportation Minister, said the flooding the area has received is "unprecedented on a geographic scale," even though, in some areas, the flooding may not seem that significant.
"At times it may appear the severity of the flood is significantly less," Ashton said on Wednesday. "I want to stress this is a very serious flood."
The Canadian Press reports that almost 400 people in Manitoba were ordered to evacuate Wednesday as the Prairie region of the province is experiencing the most significant flooding.
Officials say at least 55 highways and hundreds of city roads have been closed because of the floods. Authorities fear that conditions may worsen, as the peak of the flooding season is still several weeks away.
Ontario has not been affected by the flooding, but the province's Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) provides flood forecasts on its website. The MNR points out that forecasts are not an indication of an imminent flood, but rather of potential water damage for the region's homeowners.