A number of communities in the Northwest Territories have been under a state of emergency in recent weeks, leading to evacuations for some residents who experienced serious flooding from seasonal ice breakup.
In Fort Simpson, for instance, water levels continued to hover around the 16-metre mark for most of the weekend, resulting in nearly 40% of the island being underwater. It joined the communities of Jean Marie River, Hay River and Kátł’odeeche First Nation, which continue to struggle with flooding that has destroyed homes and infrastructure.
“The North has always been a place where residents come together during a time of need and I know we all will for those impacted by the flooding,” announced N.W.T. Premier Caroline Cochrane in a statement on May 11. “We are going to do everything we can to ensure that you are safe and have the supports you need. Once flooding has subsided, the GNWT will continue to work with Indigenous leadership and community governments who will be focused on leading the recovery,” added Cochrane.
The Department of Infrastructure has dispatched teams to the region to begin clearing ice on the shore in preparation to launch ferry service into Fort Simpson officials said. The ferry will only become operational once the water levels drop to a safe level for the ferry to go into the water.
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The Canadian Rangers were also called into N.W.T. over the weekend to assist victims of the flooding, who anxiously watched for movement in slabs of ice and snow sitting on top of local rivers.
Water levels in most areas, however, began to drop late into the weekend of May 15.
The NWT government has pledged to donate up to $150,000 to support flooding victims, an amount that will be matched by the United Way NWT.
