A flood expert explains that there were only five similar floods over the past 200 years: in 1826, 1950, 1997, 2009 and 2011.
We invite Winnipeggers to take a little excursion into the past.
Flood in 1826:
Plaques beneath the canopy at The Forks serve as high-water marks and reminders that all of it was underwater in 1826. The flood almost destroyed the Red River Colony.
Flood in 1950:
Flood levels hit 757.85 above sea level in 1950. It caused the death of one person and over 100,000 city residents had to leave their homes. Chaos in the city continued from April to June. Flood damage exceeded $1 billion.
Flood in 1997:
The flood caused a great panic in Winnipeg. The Red River crested at 24.5 feet at James Avenue. As a result, more than 1,000 houses were damaged. It was called Flood of the Century.
Flood in 2009:
In April, the Red River crested at 22.5 feet at the same place. As the official data showed, the flood caused damage of $70 million.
Flood in 2011:
The flood in 2011 was different from all the others due to the fact that Winnipeg remained relatively unscathed. However, residents near Assiniboine River in western Manitoba were damaged a lot. Later, the province tried to compensate part of the losses to rural residents, but many of them were not satisfied with the payments.
Flood in 2019:
At the end of the last month, weather forecasters warned that this spring the whole province could face a very strong flood, which will leave a lot of damage behind.
However, the assumption was made even before Manitoba saw additional precipitation in the form of snow and rain. Now experts are confident that the flood in 2019 could be equal to the five strongest floods over the past 200 years.
Despite the fact that the government is investing huge amounts of money in the fight against flooding, this problem is still very topical in the province.
The authorities are trying to minimize the consequences of flooding by all means, and give the city residents useful tips on protecting their houses.
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