#calgaryflood

After the Flood: Cleanup Efforts in Full Force

Crumpled roads, twisted C-train tracks, water submerging row upon row of the Saddledome and the entire downtown closed. That is just some of the devastation from the massive flood of 2013 that is now being cleaned up in a major effort from professionals and volunteers alike.

Of course not all the flooding was contained to public buildings, and with an estimated 75,000 people having to be evacuated from their homes, the damage to private property is both heartbreaking and financially intimidating, but help is on the way. On Monday, the province announced a $1 billion dollar first step towards helping those displaced from the flood, offering pre-loaded debit cards for those who qualify worth $1250 per adult and $500 per child, to help with day to day living expenses. These cards are set to be handed out later in the week, with the promise from the province that this is just the beginning as Calgarians and other Southern Alberta residents go about rebuilding their lives.

The city of Calgary is still in a state of emergency, even though the water has receded and the water levels in both the Bow and Elbow Rivers have decreased in the last few days. But what is left when the water goes is a dirty, polluted and potentially dangerous breeding ground for germs and bacteria, not to mention mud, mud and more mud. Miraculously, the tap water in the city is still safe to drink, although experts are asking residents to conserve as much as they can, this includes not spraying any water outside, no washing cars or watering lawns, and trying to save water by not running the washing machine or dishwasher for the foreseeable future. Evacuation notices have been lifted to date in more than 12 communities, with just 9 others still under orders not to return home, and the public areas are being cleaned up and opened in remarkable fashion.