Floodwater Spreads Over Manitoba Farmland

A dike breach is thought to be the last-ditch attempt to alleviate the massive flooding.

The deliberate breach of the Assiniboine River in Manitoba early Saturday will see as many as 150 properties flooded in the heart of the province's farming region. A hole was gashed in Provincial Road 311 south of Portage la Prairie, an unconventional action thought to be an 11th-hour decision to reduce the quickly rising Assiniboine, which is at its highest level in 60 years. The breach started at 8 a.m. and will be increased over the next few days to help drain out the river. The flood is predicted to spread over 200 kilometres during the next couple weeks. Due to the recent floods, 3,383 Manitobans have been forced from their homes.