Storms bring hail and more rain to Westman
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Another round of wild weather brought tornado warnings, heavy rain, large hail and power outages for more than 6,000 Manitoba Hydro customers Sunday night and early Monday morning.
Tornado warnings were issued for some areas, including Souris, Brandon, Wawanesa and Peguis First Nation, as severe thunderstorms rolled through southern and western Manitoba.
A severe thunderstorm watch was in effect for parts of southern and eastern Manitoba, including Winnipeg, as of 8:45 a.m. Monday.
Manitoba Hydro said crews worked overnight to restore power to customers after strong winds downed poles and power lines. Outages were still widespread Monday morning.
“While crews were able to restore several outages overnight, strong storms continued to roll through and impact the area,” the Crown corporation said in a statement on social media.
“We are currently assessing damage affecting power to more than 6,000 customers and will be working throughout the day to replace broken poles, restring downed lines, and repair damaged equipment.”
Hydro said additional outages could occur throughout the day while crews completed repairs and restored power.
Rain fell in communities that are dealing with the aftermath of flooding, or preparing for swollen rivers to peak, overnight. As well, large hail was reported in a wide swath of western Manitoba south of Brandon on Sunday evening, with hail damage reported in and around Killarney, Boissevain and Wawanesa.
The City of Brandon built a temporary dike late last week while the Assiniboine River overflowed. The river is expected to peak on or about July 12.
The Town of Minnedosa and Sioux Valley Dakota Nation put out calls for volunteers to help sandbag vulnerable areas over the weekend.
Brandon, Minnedosa and Sioux Valley declared states of local emergency, which gives the communities additional authority and flexibility to respond quickly to evolving conditions.
Swan River lifted a mandatory evacuation order for residents of flooded homes Saturday. A small team of Canadian Armed Forces members is set to join the flood response in western Manitoba’s Parkland region, along with members of the veteran-led disaster aid organization Team Rubicon Canada.
Meanwhile, wildfire smoke is causing or expected to cause poor air quality and reduced visibility in parts of northern Manitoba Monday, Environment Canada said.
“As smoke levels increase, health risks increase. Limit time outdoors. Consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events,” an air quality warning said.
— Winnipeg Free Press & The Brandon Sun