State of emergency declared in Drumheller

File photo of Drumheller flooding in 2005

Canada’s dinosaur capital is at serious risk of flooding as a high volume of water in the Red Deer River advances along the town’s banks.

Mayor Terry Yemen has declared a state of emergency for the town of Drumheller, with residents in low-lying areas currently being evacuated from their homes.

“Water is still coming into the dam at approximately 1200 cubic metres per second,” says Yemen.  “The problem is they had expected it to dissipate, but it hasn’t.”

“The numbers that the Dickson Dam and the river forecasters had provided Drumeller is that we’d be looking at the 1000 cubic metre per second range sometime on Sunday, but early this morning thy upgraded that to 1370.”

“The 1000 was manageable, the 1370 ends up being a one in a hundred year level.”

Displaced residents are to report to a temporary reception centre at the Greentree Mall.

According to Alberta Health Services, acute care patients are being transferred from the Drumheller Hospital to hospitals in Hanna, Three Hills and Stettler.  Preparations are being made for the relocation long term care residents from the Drumheller Hospital.

The Drumheller Hospital Emergency Department remains open.

The extent of the flooding is expected to be similar to the rising waters which devastated the region in 2005.

Sandbagging efforts are underway with town staff and emergency personnel being deployed to the areas requiring immediate attention.

The river is expected to crest on Sunday between 9:00 a.m. and noon.

Drumheller residents are asked to monitor local radio and the town’s website for updated information on neighbourhood evacuations.