Sundre was among 27 Alberta communities in a local state of emergency at the height of what provincial officials are calling the worst flooding in Alberta's history.
By yesterday, the number of confirmed states of local emergency across the province dropped to 23, with 23 active local Emergency Operations Centres in southern Alberta, including municipalities, First Nations, and private industry (Fortis). Mountain View County and Sundre closed their centres Saturday.
“This disaster is entirely unique in its speed, its scale and its scope in the number of people and communities that it impacted. Our government fully recognizes that,” said Premier Alison Redford on Sunday. “That's why, to date, we have brought together all provincial resources to respond to this disaster through the Alberta Emergency Management Agency. And today, we begin to rebuild.”
Since Wednesday, June 19, a slow-moving intense low pressure system brought 80 to 280 millimetres of precipitation with localized amounts up to 340 millimetres along the mountains and foothills from Edson to Waterton Park, according to Alberta Environment officials.
The rain fell with very high intensity (approximately 20 millimetres per hour) over an unusually large area, which led to flash flood-type response in a number of locations.
Some areas received as much as 20 millimetres of rain per hour for 12 hours and the Red Deer River's flow rate surged to as high as 2,000 cubic metres per second at one point, while the river's height jumped by as much as 12 metres.
At least three people were confirmed to have died from the flooding across the province.
As of yesterday morning, portions of 12 highways remained closed, three ferries were not operating, and three sections of highway were open to emergency vehicles only.
Locally, portions of Highway 587 were closed over the weekend because of flooding concerns at Red Lodge and Garrington Bridge, but were reopened as of Sunday.
While officials watched the water levels on the Highway 27 bridge over the Red Deer River in Sundre, the road was never closed. Water rose to just under a foot below the bridge deck at the height of flooding.
Tourism, Parks and Recreation staff have evacuated 675 people from 43 campgrounds and facilities, including partial evacuation of the Delta Lodge in Kananaskis Village.
They have participated in 17 aerial rescue operations to assist 108 people and provide supplies to others.
Tens of thousands of people from across the province were evacuated from flood-ravaged communities including Sundre, Drumheller, Canmore, and Calgary.
About 10,000 people from Medicine Hat were evacuated Saturday as most of those evacuated from Sundre were allowed to return home.
And in one of the hardest-hit communities - High River - officials were forced to evacuate the evacuation centres due to rising floodwaters.
Some areas of Red Deer, mainly campgrounds near the river, were evacuated.
Locally, flooding occurred on the Red Deer River, Little Red Deer River, Fallentimber Creek, and James River in Mountain View County, Sundre, Water Valley and Eagle Hill areas.
