First Nations, town prepare for flooding in western Manitoba

BIRTLE, Man. – Flood worries remain high in parts of western Manitoba despite lower water levels.

Ron Bell, a spokesman for the town of Birtle, says the water is dropping on the river that runs though town.

Nearby, on a tributary of Birdtail Creek, an embankment has started to fail.

Bell says water is expected to rush toward the town and surrounding area when that happens and 18 homes have been evacuated as a precaution.

Several homes on the Waywayseecappo reserve have been evacuated as well.

Bell says dikes and temporary dams have been put in place to protect properties and everyone is waiting to see what happens next.

Further east, water levels are also slowly dropping along the Fisher River, where 129 people from the Peguis First Nation were forced out.

The Manitoba government says about 25 homes have been protected with sandbag and water-tube dikes.