The Environment Canada rainfall warning for Calgary ended on Wednesday – as the city closely monitors the risk of flooding – although the mayor is asking residents to be aware of river levels.
Although rain warnings were lifted for Calgary and the rest of the province on Wednesday after two days of storms, wind warnings remained in effect in some areas. In Calgary, Environment Canada reported wind gusts of up to 94 km / h on Wednesday.
Carol Henke, a public information officer for the Calgary Fire Department, said firefighters were “incredibly busy” with the number of trees and power lines removed by Calgary gusts. She says there have been more than 200 wind-related calls from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning.
She said those numbers included more than 70 emergency calls between 10:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, more than 50 electricity emergency calls and five lightning strikes.
However, she was not notified of any injuries.
“I think we are very, very lucky, because with the number of fallen trees, it definitely caused property damage, but it can kill someone in an instant. And we are very grateful that no injuries were reported as a result of all these trees falling, “she said.
Carol Henke, a public information officer for the Calgary Fire Department, said the department had received hundreds of strong wind calls. (Dave Gilson / CBC)
Tuesday’s wind and humidity, combined with strong gusts, could knock down trees, Henke said, advising Calgary residents to be careful.
“Be careful when you’re out. Be aware of your surroundings and be careful when driving, especially if you are driving a high-profile vehicle, because this wind can really cause chaos, “she said.
The city of Calgary remains in a local state of emergency, which was declared on Monday.
“We’re keeping it in place right now, just to be too careful and make sure people are protected … most Calgary people know the weather can change by a penny,” Calgary Mayor Joti Gondek told SETimes. Calgary Eyeopener.
She also encouraged Calgary residents to be informed about what is happening in the city, as river levels remain high.
“The thing we learned in 2013 is the most important thing we can do as a city is communicate early and often,” she said.
“Please listen to the radio. Watch TV. Check for updates on the city’s website. Check out your social media. We try to push out as much information as possible, and if it will personally affect the people on their property, they will have one of the emergency services come and knock on their door and tell them what to do. ”
The city closed Bowness Park, St. Patrick’s Island Park and Prince’s Island Park from 4pm on Tuesday. He also closed Memorial Drive on 10th Street NW and created a berm.
Calgary has received between 70 and 80 mm of rain in the last 48 hours, the city said. (Osseremen Irete / CBC)
The Elbow River has reached its peak, the city said, and is not expected to rise even higher. The Bow Peak is expected to reach its peak on Wednesday afternoon.
The city says water levels will remain high in the coming days and may continue to change with additional weather systems.
Although it may be difficult after two years during the pandemic, Gondek encouraged Calgary residents to stay home as long as possible, off the river and its roads.
“It will pass. But until it does, let’s be safe.”
At a news conference Wednesday, Lisa Jackson of Alberta Environment and Parks’ branch of environmental emergency management said she had not received any reports of major floods, although some low-level localized floods had been reported.
All of Alberta’s major rivers have either peaked or will peak soon before moving east through the province, she said.
Projected inflows to the reservoirs have dropped significantly over the past day, so Jackson says he has no concerns about structural or dam safety. Discharges from Dixon Dam increased Wednesday morning, so anyone near the Red Ellen River may have noticed a change in water flow.
A number of provincial parks are closing as a result of rainfall, including the Bow River and Three Sisters campsites east of Canmore, along the Trans-Canadian Highway.
Some highways are also affected. Drivers are encouraged to check 511 for closure before setting off.
The meteorological system is expected to receive another 5 to 20 mm of rain in central and southern Alberta as it leaves the province on Thursday.
Canmore Mayor Sean Krausert says the city is watching its water basins very closely, but it looks like water levels may not be as high as originally expected.
The city, about 100 kilometers west of Calgary, is activating its emergency coordination center and monitoring flow levels. Krausert says the team works around the clock and has prepared sandbags for local use.
“Stay calm and be thankful that the rain is decreasing, and stay away from streams and rivers. “They are still very strong and the shores may become unstable,” he said.
The total rainfall varies across the province from Sunday afternoon.
According to Environment Canada, the Kananaskis area received the heaviest rainfall, reaching 218 mm by noon on Wednesday. By comparison, Olds received 86.5 mm, while Banff recorded 42 mm.
Environment Canada also reported a number of readings in Calgary – a total of 62 mm fell at the airport, while the Springbank area received 79 mm.
Environment Canada said the strongest winds in the last 72 hours were in areas north of Calgary and in the southeast corner of the province, with gusts up to 104 km / h.
“Quite a variety of feelings”
Calgarian Jean Woeller owned a home in Sunnyside that was damaged by floods in 2013. She now lives in Bownes and is president of the Bownes Flood Responsible Relief Society. She says they have been busy for several days sending emails from nervous residents to the community.
“There are a lot of different feelings and it largely depends on the experience of the people in 2013, where they live in the community, what level of property mitigation they have,” she said.
“But there is some concern for sure. Concerns about the possibility of an evacuation and whether there will be a loss of power, what the evacuation triggers may be. There are still some unknowns. Not much information has been shared in this regard.”
However, she believes that the actions taken by both the city and the province have put Calgary in a better place than it was in 2013.
“And it would be really great to hear some lessons learned after this event is over.”
From 16:00, Environment Canada warns of wind for much of southeastern Alberta.
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