Key Takeaways:
- In the last three days, parts of the province have received more than 60 millimeters of rain, with wind gusts topping 100 kilometers per hour.
- Meanwhile, more than simply water damage has been reported to the city. As a result of the strong gusts, some trees were uprooted.
- According to Kerienne La France, supervisor of the city’s Urban Forestry Technical Services, the tree clearance procedure has been active.
Cleanup is underway in southern Manitoba in the aftermath of yet another rainy and windy storm.
Parts of the province have received more than 60 mm of rain in the last three days, with wind gusts exceeding 100 kilometers per hour.
Since May 29, the city of Winnipeg has received hundreds of weather-related calls.
311 received 367 calls about water over three days, with most coming in on Tuesday.
Also read: In Manitoba’s Interlake region, heavy rain has washed out highways
198 complaints were for flooded basements; two reports were for high water in retention ponds, as well as 167 calls were for flooded roadways and ditches, according to the city. On May 31, 98 of those calls were made.
Meanwhile, the city has received reports of more than just water damage. Several trees were uprooted as a result of the severe winds.
Since Tuesday, the city has received 95 calls for downed trees or damaged branches.
After a 20-foot tree almost missed Carol Dignard’s Bannatyne Avenue home, she made one of those calls.
“Thank goodness the wind wasn’t coming from the field to my house; otherwise, the tree would have been inside, and I might have been hit first because my bedroom window is right next to the tree,” Dignard added.
She claimed that the tree missed her house by approximately five feet, entirely avoiding the roof and her front yard deck.
“I would have been caught if the wind had been blowing the other way. If the wind had been blowing in the opposite direction, the elderly couple next door would have been hit…it would have blown right through their duplex,” she explained. “Someone was keeping an eye on us.”
The tree clearance procedure has been active, according to Kerienne La France, supervisor of the city’s Urban Forestry Technical Services. They noted that teams responded to calls all day Tuesday and into the evening.
She expects to be able to complete the job by the end of the week, as service calls have begun to decrease.
“These are mostly public trees that have fallen or been damaged,” La France explained, “but if private trees have fallen and impact public property, such as a public right of way, we may attend to it.”
“If a tree is covering a street or something similar, we organize a crew to go there as soon as possible, make the place safe, and then clean it.”
She added the city has already experienced numerous wind storms in 2022, but this is the first one this year in which multiple trees have been toppled because leaves have begun to emerge on trees.
“When such canopies are fully leafed out, they behave as sails, making them more vulnerable to wind damage. So we know going into this season that the leaves will be out, and we’ll have to be on our guard and ready to go. We’re always keeping an eye on the weather and planning for these occurrences.”
It’s better to be proactive before storms hit, according to La France, for individuals who have tall trees near their homes. She recommends that individuals prune the trees to keep them from falling in a storm and consult an arborist for advice on the best course of action.
Source: CTV News
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