Homes evacuated, damaged on Peguis First Nation

60 people living on Peguis First Nation have been forced to leave their homes because of flood waters, another 40 are on stand-by.

In a release, the Province said roughly 50 homes have been damaged by flood waters or are not accessible because of flooding.

The Manitoba Association of Native Firefighters is helping coordinate evacuations.

People who have been forced out of their homes made their way to Winnipeg and are staying in hotels while the federal government and community members manage the situation on the reserve.

Officials say the water appears to have crested.

The Province has sent 100 Tiger Tube dams to help fight the flood waters.

The Province has also issued a flood warning to communities along the Birdtail Creek, including, Birtle, which is about 150 kilometers northwest of Brandon.

Officials say a large ice jam near a rail bridge is holding back a significant amount of water — which could cause a large surge of water pouring into the creek once the ice does let go.

People living nearby are preparing to leave quickly.