Clean-up efforts underway in flood-stricken Peguis First Nation: ‘Everything is just gone’
Posted May 28, 2022 11:55 am.
Clean-up efforts are underway in Peguis First Nation, as community members who were forced to leave their homes during the recent flood have now returned.
They’re taking stock of the full extent of damage to their homes and property.
“Water was about three feet high, it was right up to my chest,” said resident Cheryl Thompson. “So it came, the whole lower level was covered in water right up to the kitchen floor.
“Everything is just… gone.”
READ: Worst flooding Peguis First Nation community has seen
Thompson moved what she could out of her basement before she was told it was too dangerous to stay in her home.
When she returned, she found her basement completely flooded. Her sister and nephews have had to throw away washing machines, dryers, deep freezers and many personal belongings that were all damaged beyond repair.
“It is very, very challenging to have to take out all of your memories,” she said. “And being a lodge keeper, also losing a lot of my ceremony bundle, and things I have gathered over the years, the medicines, things I use for Sundance, all my material for this year’s Sundance is now gone.”
Clean-up underway in Manitoba’s Peguis First Nation on May 27, 2022. (Credit: CityNews/Mark Neufeld)
Clarence Daniels, another Peguis resident, was pumping water out of his basement on Friday.
He says a tiger dam around his house held back some of the water, but not enough to keep a foot and a half of mud and river water from flowing into his home, destroying some antique furniture.
“It was quite a challenge when the flood came, it came very fast,” said Daniels.
Making things even worse, Daniels was told contaminants from an old gas station in the area have entered the community water supply.
“There’s apparently a gas leak up the road there from an old gas pump and so I can’t shower, can’t drink the water,” he said. “So I’m just here killing time, monitoring the pumps, so I’m hoping things are alright with that gas leak.”
CityNews could not confirm with Peguis council if there was petrol contamination present in the drinking water. However on Thursday, the community issued a notice that Peguis public health along with water quality personnel are testing the water of all households impacted by the flood.
Howard Potan came from Red Rock First Nation in Ontario to help with the clean up in Peguis. Potan says he was moved to help after seeing photos and video of the extreme amounts of damage the water had on people’s homes.
“Well we clean up the garbage, we clean up their yard, we clean along the ditch here because it looks like a war zone,” said Potan.
“I feel a sadness for the people that lost their homes.”
Thompson says while this challenging experience if far from over, she’s already thinking about different ways she can protect her home from future floods.
“I was talking with my brother about building a dike or whatever, right around the property so that just the roadway is open, and that would stop the water coming towards the house I would hope,” said Thompson.
