Photo Credit: Shelly Giesbrecht-Stelter, Char Saunders, NWO-WPG Hwy Info Facebook Page.
The City of Kenora has expanded the evacuation order for areas north of the by-pass.
Residents who live in the area of the Portier bridge and southerly on East Melick Road (this includes Victoria Crescent, Decemvir Dr, Bell Point Road and residents to the east of this area) should also evacuate as water levels are expected to rise to a point where the East Melick and Essex Road area will become under water and potentially unstable.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, May 14, East Melick Road will be closed at Essex Road.
According to the city, water levels are expected to continue to rise for the next 5-7 days on Lake of the Woods, Winnipeg River and Black Sturgeon.
"Water is still flowing from Black Sturgeon into the Winnipeg River but we anticipate this will change in the near future. Although this is good news, if this shifts due to the rising Winnipeg River water levels the flooding in the Black Sturgeon area will be compounded drastically. Once that does happen, we will have very critical water levels on all of these affected roads," said the City of Kenora in a prepared release.
"It is important to note there is more than eighteen inches of water on top of the roads. Continuing to attempt to build up roads or install new culverts is no longer a viable path forward given the current volumes of water. We have exhausted infrastructure renewal options that would provide value under flooding conditions," added the city.
City residents that need sandbags can pick them up at Fire Station 1, 100 14th Street North. Sand is available just down from the Fire Station on 14th Street North on the north side of the street near the Operations Centre.
Sandbags for non-residents can be picked up at the Ministry office on Robertson Street.
East Melick Road is now closed 600m north of the Portier bridge. No emergency or city services will be provided to this section of the community until such time that it is safe to do so.
The Kenora Recreation Centre is severing as an evacuation centre/shelter. As of 8:15 p.m. on Friday, May 13, the City of Kenora says that no one has checked into the facility.
