Ice jams cause additional ARES activation in Manitoba

Serious ice jams on the Red River north of Winnipeg have caused several communities to declare state of emergency. East St. Paul, West St. Paul, St. Andrews and St. Clements were all being impacted by rising water.

Dave Place VE4PN - EC - RM of St. Clements advises that ARES is now active in the RM of St. Clements and is staffing the municipal EOC.

Recent reports advise that the ice jam has broken and water level in hardest hit areas have dropped 1 meter but the area is still at risk.

Due to the rapidly changing conditions, Manitoba EMO has advanced their planned opening of the Provincial EOC.

Jeff Dovyak - VE4MBQ DEC Capitol Region advises that Winnipeg ARES is providing staffing to the Manitoba EMO radio room as of today - March 26.

City of Winnipeg EOC is planned to be active and the radio room staffed by ARES radio operators effective Monday 30 March.

Gord Snarr VE4GLS DEC South Central advises that he is meeting with officials in the town of Morris later today. Gord has staffing planned for many of the communities in his region - which lays in the area between Winnipeg and the US border.

Several of these communities are right beside the Red River and depend on ring dikes for flood protection. If the water levels were to reach a certain height, the dikes must be closed - which would result in the evacuation of the community residents as it would be cut off from emergency services.