Nearly 200 disaster relief applications have been submitted following the 2022 floods

After a near record-breaking wet spring, almost 200 Winnipeg residents have already applied for provincial disaster relief due to flooding.

With one month left to apply, that number is expected to climb.

“We’ve heard that 30 or 40 houses along the Crescent and Row were nailed by it,” said Jim Morrison.

Susan Elaine Gray and her partner Jim Morrison saw their sewer line back up into both of the homes they own ON Kingston Crescent.

“We were significantly out of pocket, putting it mildly,” said Morrison.

“Out of pocket and out of heart,” added Gray. “We’ve lost things we’ll never be able to replace.”

The couple lost letters from their parents, family photos and art created by loved ones.

They described the loss as devastating, and say they’ve never experienced flooding like this before.

“It was just insane,” explained Morrison. “One minute, we heard a gurgle, went downstairs and there was water up to the knees.”

According to information from the province, as of mid-August there have already been 194 applications submitted in connection to the 2022 spring flood events.

RELATED:

• Manitoba flood mitigation projects will receive guidance from environmental advisory committee
• Manitoba government announces disaster aid relief as flood worries continue
• ‘We need help’: Peguis First Nation overwhelmed by rising flood water, 2nd state of emergency

Residents have until Sept. 23 to apply. And applications this year are way up.

In 2021, no disaster relief program was established. In 2020 and 2019, only 36 applications were made in total.

A busy website illustrating the rise in applicants.

“We are receiving a high volume of claims for the 2022 Spring Flood DFA program and experiencing delays in processing claims. We ask for your patience,” said Manitoba Disaster Financial Assitance.

David MacAngus, CEO and owner of the Winnipeg Building and Decorating Ltd., which assists with flood and disaster response, says they’ve been extremely busy this year.

“It’s not really the amount of rain, it’s how fast it comes when it does come,” explained MacAngus.

Adding the best protection is preparation.

“After it’s happened, it’s too late to prevent it obviously, but in most cases you should be protected with a sump-pit, a back-up valve, those types of things are the most obvious.”

He says if water is in the home, it’s important to get anything soaked out of the house as quickly as possible to prevent further mould issues, saying in some cases, that can be done by the homeowner. He also stressed that people should make sure they have the proper insurance coverage as well to ensure they’re able to cover the type of damage associated with this type of an event.

“It’s usually in the basement, there’s a lot of things stored away there, it’s things like kids hockey equipment, expensive stuff and it just puts people in a real financial pinch. A lot of people have limited sewer back-up coverage, let’s say $5,000, well that takes no time to eat up.”

So far, Winnipeg is in the midst of one of its wettest years on record and experts say only a further 80 millimetres of precipitation is needed to break the all-time record set in 1972.