Military beefs up Ontario flooding assistance

Communities in central Ontario’s flood-ravaged cottage country worked to stave off more damage on Monday while bracing for heavy rainfall forecast for later in the week.

More military personnel were deployed throughout the region, and municipalities called on volunteers to help replenish the supply of sandbags as parts of the Muskoka and Kawartha regions remained under water thanks to surging lakes and rivers.

Authorities said the rapid rise of water levels had begun to slow, but the spectre of intensified flooding surfaced Environment Canada’s forecast. A special weather statement covering much of central Ontario called for between 20 and 40 millimetres of rain to fall beginning on Wednesday, placing potential new strains on the handful of communities that have already declared states of emergency.

In Bracebridge, where an emergency declaration was issued last week, residents prepared to welcome additional military members brought in to help manage flood conditions.

Mayor Graydon Smith said 30 more soldiers were slated to join the 60 had that arrived in the area on Sunday, adding all would spend their time filling and deploying sandbags while helping with emergency evacuations as needed.

Bracebridge was one of three municipalities in the Muskoka District to declare a state of emergency after spring run-off and heavy rainfalls drove water levels to historic highs.