Ice and flooding have caused “extensive” damage to the Hay River, NWT, according to Glen Smith, a senior administrative official.
A second influx of water and ice began to sweep the community through Thursday morning around 8 p.m. The city warns residents who are still in the Hay River to find a high place or take shelter in the community center. There may be more jumps.
The evacuation order, issued late Wednesday night, remains in effect for the entire community. Residents who originally went to the Enterprise should head to Yellowknife instead, Smith said. RCMP officials are demanding the closure of roads in the Enterprise.
Residents who are still in Hay River should stay in their current accommodation, according to an update from the city at 5:30 a.m., and not travel through Hay River “due to dangers throughout the city.”
An evacuation order has been issued for the entire Hay River, NWT
An evacuation order has been issued for the entire Hay River community, NWT, and some 3,500 residents have been asked to head to a higher location or community center. 10:07
Hay River is a central community of more than 3,800 people in the NW Southern Slaves area. It is located where the Hay River meets the Great Slave Lake.
The ice shifted overnight, but stuck again. The update said water levels remain high and there are ice jams covering the western and eastern canals to the Delancey Estates area.
Smith called for patience as workers assessed the damage to the community and devised a plan to return the residents.
“Some areas will take time,” he said. “We are discouraging people from returning to the community until we have completed this assessment and determined what the return plans look like.
“We hear about water … vast water, driving storms and really flooding areas that weren’t even close to the river because of that – water over the banks, entering several residential areas.
The city’s emergency management organization will meet this morning to coordinate the damage assessment. Smith said they will need to understand where it is safe to work and assess the damage to their infrastructure.
Smith said they had received reports that at least one person should be rescued from the roof. The crews had to wait for the sun to rise before embarking on any rescue.
He is wanted in the K’atl’odeeche reserve for a missing person
The leader of the first nation, K’atl’odeeche, April Martel, said the reserve had been evacuated overnight, but a man who had been abandoned was currently being sought.
As the floods escalated, Martel and other workers remained searching for the man. Eventually, they had to leave as the water rose rapidly.
She called the RCMP to help with the search and rescue, and several community members are still searching the reserve.
“He knows how to make a survival mode, so I think he’ll be fine,” Martel said.
Martel said it was not safe to be in the community at the moment and there was a lot of damage.
Looking for a second influx of water
Jane and Rick Gronevegen are some of those still on Hay River. Jane Groenuegen owns several properties on Hay River and is currently staying on the fourth floor of the Cambridge Hotel, which overlooks the river.
Speaking to the CBC on Thursday morning, Groenewegen said they were preparing for a new surge of water that could come this morning.
Water floods the street in front of the Whispering Willows Senior Complex in downtown Hay River. (Emma Grunwald / CBC)
She said the wave of the night passed through Saskatoon Drive, a residential area on the north side of the new city of Hay River.
He also drilled the banks of Riverview Drive, which runs through the eastern part of the city.
“When we got the signal and got a call from town to come down here and start going door-to-door and notifying our guests and tenants when we went outside, Rick heard the ice tearing down the Riverview Karaite trees,” Gronevegen said.
The water flowed down the road, through a number of Riverview Drive houses and down the ravine to Gronevegen’s house.
“It was as if the gorge then became like a river,” she said.
Thursday has been sunny so far and should be warm, she said, but the issue of a second tide is still in the air.
“We are safe where we are. We understand that the current can stop, “she said.
“We will see if a new wave of water materializes and what the impact will be. I steered my truck in the right direction, full of fuel, ready to go.
Enterprise opens its doors
Enterprise, a community of 116 people about 35 kilometers south of the Hay River, welcomed about 160 people overnight, more than doubling its population.
Mayor Michael St. Armor said it included 10 to 12 buses with people.
“All we can do is help,” St. Armor said.
Hay River emergency workers loaded buses full of people on Wednesday night when the city flooded. They sent 10 to 12 buses to the Enterprise. (Emma Grunwald / CBC)
The pendulum opened its recreation center and fire hall for visitors by placing cribs. Community members opened their homes to friends and about 20 people took refuge in two empty houses in the community, while others were welcomed to the local Cash and Carry.
“There are approximately 60 to 70 people sleeping with children, babies,” he said. “Pets are tied up outside, but we can’t help everyone.”
The city, which relies on water and sanitation trucks, is also busy keeping water tanks full to serve unexpected guests.
“I’m tired,” St. Armor admitted, but added: “Things will get better.
“As long as people are safe and not in danger, we’re all fine, aren’t we?”
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