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Tofield Floods After Massive Rainfall: 'Never Seen This Much Water Here'
🇨🇦 Canada /Disasters & Emergencies

Tofield Floods After Massive Rainfall: 'Never Seen This Much Water Here'

From Global News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Tofield, Alberta, experienced severe localized flooding due to heavy weekend rainfall, causing property damage and forcing evacuations.
  • Over 100 mm of rain fell in the Beaver County area, overwhelming municipal drainage systems and the town's wastewater capacity.
  • Residents and businesses are grappling with inundated roads and flooded basements, with emergency services working to manage the crisis.

The town of Tofield, Alberta, south and east of Edmonton, is grappling with severe localized flooding after a weekend of intense rainfall caused significant property damage and forced evacuations. An intense weather system saturated parts of northern and central Alberta, with rainfall exceeding the capacity of many municipal drainage systems.

We have water pumps running. We have a fleet of vac trucks being called in.

— Andrew HallDescribing the efforts to manage rising water levels in Tofield.

Environment Canada reported that the Beaver County area received over 100 mm of rain, with nearby Elk Island National Park recording 140 mm. By Sunday night, the Beaver Emergency Services Commission issued an overland flood alert as the deluge pushed Tofield's wastewater system beyond its limits.

We are OK, but it is at its max. If we are not careful, we will push it beyond that.

— Andrew HallUrging residents to conserve water to avoid overwhelming the drainage system.

Mayor Andrew Hall stated on Monday that crews have been working tirelessly to manage the rising water levels in the community of approximately 2,100 people. "We have water pumps running. We have a fleet of vac trucks being called in," Hall said, urging residents to limit non-essential water use to prevent further strain on the drainage system. "We are OK, but it is at its max. If we are not careful, we will push it beyond that," he added.

It’s a lot of water with nowhere to go.

— Jill LungalExpressing the severity of the flooding situation at Tofield Packers.

Rainwater has transformed major roads into rivers, forcing drivers to turn back or attempt to navigate through deep water. Several basements have suffered damage, including at the Beaver Hill Motel, where guests were relocated to the Tofield Community Hall. Businesses have also been impacted; Tofield Packers, a local shop, is inaccessible due to its parking lot being submerged, though operations inside remain normal. Co-owner Jill Lungal expressed disbelief, stating, "It's a lot of water with nowhere to go." The owners, who have 31 years of experience, noted the water levels have risen significantly overnight, but the interior of the store has so far been spared.

The water was not this high last night. We thought we’d be OK. We had 10 feet before the sidewalk, it obviously rose.

— Jill LungalDescribing the rapid increase in water levels.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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