Relief as major southern Alberta flooding fails to materialize
CLARESHOLM, Alta. — Tensions eased Wednesday across Alberta when widespread flooding failed to materialize after days of rainfall warnings and flood advisories.
Hundreds of southern Alberta residents were forced from their homes due to overland flooding and sewer backup, and nine communities continued to be under local states of emergency.
But officials have scaled back rainfall and river flow predictions.
“The situation is not nearly as dire as we would have imagined 24 hours ago,” said Stephen Carr, director of central operations, Alberta Emergency Management Agency.
“(It) has certainly allowed these communities an opportunity to breathe a bit, assess their situation and then go forward.”
The provincial government continued to track several communities under a local state of emergency, including Claresholm, Cardston, the Blood Tribe, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge County.
But authorities in those communities have been responding effectively to the situation, said Carr.
“There’s been very little in the way of requests for support,” he added. “The communities are showing tremendous resilience.”