Calgary flooding forces evacuations, 100,000 may be affected

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/calgary-flooding-forces-evacuations-100k-may-affected-003757250.html ^ | June 20, 2013 | CBC News via Yahoo

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

The City of Calgary has issued mandatory evacuation orders for 14 communities after massive flooding in the city and across southern Alberta. The city says up to 100,000 people could be affected by evacuations.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

PRAYER REQUEST FOR RESIDENTS OF CALGARY AND SOUTHERN ALBERTA. Up to 100K citizens face mandatory evacuation in Calgary due to Bow and Elbow Rivers flooding. I just got home from volunteering at Centre Street Church, which is a 'reception centre' for those required to evacuate. While many have relatives they can stay with, all hotels rooms in the city have now been booked (many large, downtown hotels are closed due to potential flooding and a large convention scheduled for next week). Calgary Emergency Management Agency expect over 500 displaced persons to arrive at the church overnight. The city has also opened four recreation/leisure centres for evacuees and may open more, if required. Neither the Bow or Elbow Rivers have yet peaked. Both the Bearspaw (Bow)and Glenmore (Elbow) Dams are expected to spill, but should hold.

The town of High River was washed out, with Canadian Army units using helicopters to rescue residents stranded on their roofs. There are also flood warnings in effect for Red Deer (Red Deer River) and Lethbridge (Old Man River). Highways throughout the western portion of Alberta are closed due to flooding and landslides.

Calgary Evacuation

Alberta Flood Coverage

City of Calgary latest updates

Centre Street Bridge, downtown Calgary (lower level now covered by Bow River)

Hwy 1 washout in Canmore, AB

Rescue in High River, AB

[expat1000]

Wow - is that from snow/ice runoff from the Rockies?

[MestaMachine]

Oh my goodness! Prayers up right now!

[cherry]

all I know is that here in eastern Washington we've had tons of rain and cool temps....actually had to turn the heat on tonight...

Good luck Canada..and God bless....

[Slings and Arrows]

Ping!

[UCANSEE2]

Hmmmmm....

Mother Nature vs. The best laid plans of mice and men.

AND THE WINNAH IS......

[basil]

Oh my goodness! We have a daughter living in Calgary with her husband and 3 young kids.

My daughter’s freeper name is pesto.

I ask for your prayers, please.

[basil]

Pesto just emailed to tell me they are okay!

[ican'tbelieveit]

I know that a lot of rain over that region last night, I think. I was looking at radar and happened to notice alerts in the area for severe thunderstorms. That with snow melt, could be.

[2nd amendment mama]

OMG - glad to hear that. When I saw this thread I immediately thought of her.....whew!

[luvbach1]

Best of luck to our Canadian friends. Mother and two cousins from Winnipeg.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

There goes the Stampede !

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks A Formerly Proud Canadian.

Amendment Would Give Amnesty/Legal Status to Any Would-Be Immigrant Displaced by ‘Climate Change’
Breitbart’s The Conversation | June 20, 2013 | Ace of Spades
Posted on 06/21/2013 3:22:16 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3033891/posts

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

Torential downpours in the Rockies; eventually it has to flow downhill into the Bow and Elbow Rivers; huge drainage area into relatively small, fast-flowing rivers. Same thing happening in Red Deer and Lethbridge. Not sure how bad it is there.

If you know Calgary, MacLeod Trail & 17th Ave SW are now under water, so the city is taking no chances and evacuating many.

[expat1000]

I do know Calgary, and have friends there. Thanks for info.

[canuck_conservative]

We had HEAVY rain Wednesday nite/Thurs. morning, combined with additional snowmelt from the mountains, PLUS we’re near the “spring freshet” (rivers’ maximum) anyway - a bad mix all at once.

[expat1000]

Do you have to evacuate?

[prairiebreeze]

Wow, I heard a story yesterday, didn’t realize it was this bad. The folks I’m referring to are out camping in an RV somewhere and a bridge washed out on one side of them with a mudslide on the other side. They are essentially landlocked. He is running low on his medications

[Gay State Conservative]

Looks very ugly indeed.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

UPDATE: The City of Calgary has asked anyone who works downtown, not to come to work, unless absolutely neccessary, due to closures and flooding, etc.

I am temporarily working for a contractor friend, helping to install water and gas lines in a new restaurant downtown. It is imperative that the work be completed ASAP, as the owner wants it open a week before the Calgary Stampede begins the evening of July 4th. It is just outside of the evacuation area and he was able to get downtown by travelling about 3 extra miles to the north-west of the core. We cannot do anything today as water, gas and electrical are shut down.

Apparently, the Elbow River crested about 4:00 AM, but there may be another crest. The Bow is expected to crest this afternoon but again, as rain continues in the mountains, there may be additional crests. I do not have details on other rivers effecting Red Deer and Lethbridge.

As far as I know, no bridges have been washed away in Alberta, but there are concerns for the structural integrity of many, including bridges in High River. High River took the brunt of the flooding of the Sheep River yesterday.