WINNIPEG  People in southwestern Manitoba are mopping up after more rain fell on Wednesday than the area usually receives in half a year. The flooding situation in the area is described as even worse than the major flood of 1999, although the flash flood warning issued Thursday has been discontinued. Environment Canada reports as much as 116 millimetres fell on the Melita area on June 1 and 2. The province's Water Stewardship Department received reports of more than 122 millimetres in Elphinstone. Several people have reported rain gauges overflowing at 170 to 200 millimetres in other areas, and unofficial reports indicate as much as 270 millimetres – 11 inches – in isolated areas around Griswold and Newdale. Premier promises help where needed Premier Gary Doer surveyed the damage by helicopter Friday morning. He said the government will offer aid to people who had their homes or crops damaged by the rising water. "I just wanted people to know they're not going to get a bureaucratic run-around. We're going to work as fast as we can to settle the legitimate claims from the rain," he said. Fields, roads submerged Many farmers fear their crops will drown in all the water – if they've been able to seed at all. Scott Day, who toured the area for Manitoba Agriculture Thursday evening, said many fields are a soggy mess. "At this time of year, the crop's really young, or in some cases the fields haven't been planted yet. The soil's quite vulnerable to erosion … there is a lot of soil moving into the ditches and waterways," he said. "Then there's the fields themselves. There's many fields that are 20 per cent, 30 per cent or even more than that under water right now, and if that water doesn't get off those fields quickly, all that crop that's under water right now is going to die." All the water has also washed out roads and bridges around southwestern Manitoba. Several highways have water running over them, and other roads are too soft and muddy to support traffic. Provincial transportation officials advise drivers to stay off secondary roads in the area. "Everything that can hold water is absolutely right full of water," said Day. "Driving around last night, I encountered six places where water was still running over the road. It's an amazing amount of water." MANITOBA TRANSPORTATION: Road Conditions In Melita, where 115 millimetres of rain was reported – more than 30 millimetres in one hour – homeowner Gordon McNish hasn't slept since the deluge sent water pouring into his basement. Every 20 minutes, McNish turns on a pump to stop the water from re-entering his basement. "We went away to a band concert for an hour, and when we came home, we'd had four inches of rain in little over four hours, and came home to find 2.5 inches of rain in the basement," he said. Bob Reddaway, Melita's town foreman, said this is the most water he's seen in town since he started working there 27 years ago. "We're pumping out of our sewage lift station, and just pumping it out and it's going in the ditch now and running down," he said. Town and municipal officials say it will be a few more days before they know the extent of the damage.
Canadian forecasters are predicting more rain in the upcoming two days as floodwaters wash across southern Alberta, forcing people in West Bragg Creek and High River to evacuate their homes.


As rain continues to steadily fall, Alberta Environment has issued a flood warning on more than 20 rivers as more than 100 to 170 millimetres have fallen in certain areas over the last few days.

The sight of swollen rivers brings to mind the floods of ten years ago in the same region, when water levels rose to such a height that, at the time, it was considered a once in a 125-year event. 

About 200 High River residents have been forced to evacuate and about 3,500 people living around the community’s golf course were put under a voluntary evacuation order.

Meanwhile, Manitoba has also seen more rain than usual this time of year and is facing a flooding situation that’s been described as worse than the one faced by the province in 1999. Roads and bridges have been washed out and fears are growing among farmers that their crops will drown under the watery conditions.  

There have been estimates that as much as 10% of crops may have been lost in Manitoba. 

The wet weather has also been affecting the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan, where a flood watch has been put on towns surrounding the South Saskatchewan River basin.