Worst Flood Ever in Alberta, Canada
Friday, June 21st, 2013June 21, 2013
A combination of steady, heavy rain and spring snowmelt off the Canadian Rockies is causing massive flooding in southern Alberta. Downtown Calgary, the province’s largest city, is severely flooded from the Bow River, which has yet to crest. Only one downtown street remains passable, and at least 17 bridges are closed. The Elbow River is out of its banks in southern areas of the city. Water is rising at the city zoo, and zoo officials have plans to move such exotic animals as the large cats to jail cells in Calgary’s downtown courthouse. At least 100,000 residents of Calgary are being forced to evacuate.
Thousands of others in towns across southern Alberta have also been evacuated because of flash flooding. Provincial officials are saying that rivers are running higher than they have ever seen, and whole houses are being swept off their foundations. Emergency workers are using helicopters to rescue people from rooftops. Famed Banff National Park has been especially hard hit, with most highways in the mountainous park closed. The Trans-Canada Highway is also washed out in places.