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Alberta Emergency Alert lifted for Peace River after flash flooding

Flash flooding in downtown Peace River April 18, 2020 prompted an Alberta Emergency Alert. Courtesy: Randy Doll

The emergency alert for the town of Peace River was lifted Monday morning after flooding over the weekend.

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The Alberta Emergency Alert was issued on Saturday at 11:17 p.m. and cancelled on Monday at 9:33 a.m.

According to the AEA website, downtown traffic was still being impacted by ongoing cleanup. Sections remained closed to traffic and residents were asked to avoid the areas that are blocked off and follow the detours.

The town declared a local state of emergency Saturday evening due to a massive flood in the downtown area.

Pat’s Creek Culvert started to overflow near Centennial parking lot at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

Officials suspected an ice jam in the culvert was causing it to overflow, leading to flooding near 100 Avenue and 100 Street.

Contractors were called to bring in dams to channel the water through the street towards Riverfront Park.

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Crews then pumped the water out of the park and into the river.

Mayor Tom Tarpey said an AHS mental health building in the town flooded “quite badly,” and that there is damage to the community theatre and a downtown hotel.

Peace River is approximately 489 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

In a Facebook message Sunday morning, the town said crews pumped water through the night and most of the water had receded.

“We did not have to breach the dike as we had originally anticipated. We still have one pump working – with others on standby – near Riverfront Park as we continue clean-up of debris on roads downtown.”

— With files from Breanna Karstens-Smith, Global News

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