The floodwaters continue to rise in Manitoba, though those battling the waters are optimistic.
READ MORE: What’s to blame for Manitoba flood? Loss of wetlands, for one
At the Portage Diversion, water levels have declined, according to Steve Topping, the province’s executive director of hydrologic forecasting and water management.
Gallery of rising waters in southwestern Manitoba
Late Wednesday, the water crested just west of Portage la Prairie at 52,100 cubic feet per second.
The provincial government has expressed cautious optimism about the fight against the rising Assiniboine River.
“So far, the dikes are looking pretty solid, but they’re being monitored 24/7,” Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger said Wednesday after touring Portage la Prairie.
More than 500 people have been forced out of their homes across the province with another 200 considered to be vulnerable to rising waters. If the province decides to cut a dike at the Hoop and Holler Bend to ease pressure on the Assiniboine, a further 150 could be at risk.
–with files from Lara Schroeder and The Canadian Press
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