Manitoba city declares state of emergency as flooding worsens

Dauphin, Manitoba declared a state of local emergency on Wednesday after significant rainfall over three days led to widespread and rapidly worsening flooding across the community.

Approximately 115 mm of rain has fallen since Sunday, causing what the city described as "unprecedented volume of water" that triggered flooding on streets and properties while placing "extraordinary pressure" on the city's storm, wastewater, and water infrastructure.

Deputy Mayor Christian Laughland said the impact is citywide. "I would say everybody in the city of Dauphin is affected in some capacity," he told reporters. "Some people's basements are dry, some people's basements have a foot of water, some people's basements have five feet of water. It's just kind of people helping people."

By Wednesday morning, conditions had cleared somewhat, though skies clouded over by midday. No rain had resumed by late afternoon, but roads remained flooded and storm-water systems were still overwhelmed. The city urged residents to avoid all non-essential travel and to minimize water use wherever possible, as the wastewater system remained under significant strain.

Some areas are seeing water recede, Laughland said, though other parts remain pooled. "From what I'm seeing in my little bit of a neighbourhood, it seems like the water is going down quite a bit and that's a good sign. Obviously people now, it's the cleanup process. That's the battle going forward."

By declaring the state of emergency, the city can access additional emergency resources and coordinate response efforts with the provincial government. The declaration came hours after Dauphin cancelled its Canada Day Party in the Park celebration due to the ongoing flooding. The decision was made even after exploring potential indoor alternatives.