A water main break at the North End Wastewater Treatment Plant has caused major flooding, road closures and power outages in north Winnipeg, all as dangerously cold weather grips the region.
Flooding shuts down major intersection
According to the City of Winnipeg, the incident occurred while crews were working on the new headworks buildings at the treatment plant when they accidentally damaged a water main.
The break sent water pouring onto Main Street, leading to severe flooding between Seaforth Avenue and Chief Peguis Trail.
By 4:50 p.m. on Thursday, December 12, Main Street was closed in both directions from Seaforth Avenue to Chief Peguis Trail. The Winnipeg Traffic Management Centre warned of large delays in all directions, urging drivers to avoid the area.
Deep freeze complicates response
The flooding comes amid extreme cold in Winnipeg, with temperatures hovering around -23 C and wind chills making it feel closer to -36. An Environment Canada yellow warning remains in effect for southern Manitoba, cautioning of wind chill values dipping below -40 at times.
“Dangerous wind chills of -40 or lower continue to spread east across the Prairies,” the agency said. “Improvement will slowly spread from west to east over the weekend, followed by significantly warmer weather early next week.”
More details are available on the Jani King weather page.
In the meantime, water on the road is beginning to freeze, creating treacherous conditions for vehicles and response crews.
Video posted to social media shows cars attempting to drive through the frigid water, with steam rising as the floodwater hits the icy air.
Power outage affects over 1,200 customers
As of 5:10 p.m., Manitoba Hydro reported a large power outage in the area, leaving 1,245 customers without electricity.
The utility says the outage is under initial assessment, with an estimated restoration time of 9 p.m. Friday evening.
City crews responding
Public works crews are currently assessing the extent of the water main damage and its potential impacts to customers in the area.
“We are aware of localized flooding on Main Street near Chief Peguis,” said a statement from the City. “We will provide more updates as information becomes available.”
With temperatures expected to remain dangerously low overnight, city officials warn that icy conditions are likely to persist even after the water main is repaired.
