Calgary State of Emergency from Flooding

[Kipcha]

Well, it has definitely been an eventful few days here! Considering I cannot even get to work right now because the golf course I work at is submerged in water.

For anyone who doesn't know, Calgary, Alberta is in a state of emergency from flooding, as well as some surrounding areas such as Banff, Canmore, etc. Houses are getting washed away, rivers are overflowing at it's just chaos here.

Luckily we live on a hill so we have been more or less unaffected, but friends are watching roofs float by their yards and a few aren't even able to get home! More then 100,000 people have been evacuated and animals are pouring into shelters for temporary housing (Some also being left behind, which is awful). Downtown is a ghost town as they aren't allowing people to come in and work, roads we take all the time are a river and the place I go to watch the dumped rabbits is submerged, so hopefully they're okay.

Even the public schools are closed, something I have never heard of!

Hopefully fellow Albertans on here are safe!

Some pics,

Downtown Calgary

Calgary Stampede Park (I am wondering if the Stampede is going to be cancelled, first time ever I think! It's supposed to be in 2 weeks!)

A town ironically called High River, just half hour or so from us,

Canmore, where the water is coming from,

Videos from anyone interested,

House in Bragg Creek (Half hour away) getting destroyed - [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NObJReIIus8[/ame]

Canmore flooding - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBt5MISANm4

Calgary flooding - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6OglIzU0kM

 

[Kittiebot]

Wow that is horrible. Stay safe!

 

[gmas rabbit]

Pretty scary. Glad you are alright, but terrible that people would leave animals behind, especially with the shelters and call outs for anyone that needs an animal foster during this. Something to be said about living on a hill.

 

[Kipcha]

I agree, there are so many places offering to take pets and people are still leaving them home At the same time, there are stories of people just being amazing to save animals. Couple cases of people jumping in the water to save something, there were two guys saving a fawn yesterday as well as someone diving in to save their cat.

 

[Kipcha]

Just got a shot of the zoo on Facebook, thank goodness they evacuated the animals!

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

It's pretty crazy. A community down the hill from me (near the golf course Amanda works at) is evacuated. Luckily, there isn't much around my house other than it being wet. All the bunnies are ok and the dogs are safe too.

 

[Sophie's Humble Servant]

It's just awful. I feel for the animals and hope they can be saved. Thoughts and prayers to all my family, friends and everyone else affected by this devastation.

 

[Tauntz]

Praying for you & all of the people & animals/birds of Calgary & other areas affected by the floods. I simply can't imagine leaving my bunnies &/or birds even to save myself. Someone would probably have to knock me unconscious & pry them out of my arms to cart me off without my animals/birds. Hope I will never be tested being put in that or a similar position. Stay safe & you have my prayers!

 

[Kipcha]

Went out and took some of my own pictures today. Definitely hits you when you see the reality of it all, there are thousands of people losing their homes in Calgary, High River, Canmore, Banff and it's moving to Medicine Hat and Red Deer, had friends updating their statuses today as they spent their time sandbagging.

Went and stocked up on water to make sure if the plumbing goes out, the bunnies have it. Wal-Mart had 60 pallets of water when they opened this morning and it was GONE in 15 minutes!

Police and other emergency responders are going nuts, we were hearing sirens at least every 15 minutes.

Oh, and for people who don't know, that last pic is the entrance to the c-train, our underground train rails. Considering the water has risen above the train entrance, I would imagine it's not doing well.

 

[Kipcha]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEP4iWJz8cU

Video I took of the neighbourhood we found Juliet and Macleod in. Only saw 4 bunnies compared to the normal 15+ we normally do and could not find the doe I have been trying to catch. She lives on the road that is currently submerged with fast-moving water Hopefully they all went to higher ground.

A video of Stampede Park as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1NMnPAV8Lk

 

[ladysown]

Wow.

Do try not to judge the people who have to make the choice to leave their animals behind. Sometimes it just simply isn't manageable for folks in distress to worry on their animals. If they have to manage their children, their most important belongings, trying to get to safety in a hurry etc.... sometimes trying to figure in the critters is more than folks can do. All you can do is offer support and understanding.

For all you know their critters went into hiding, or their carrier is flooded (many people keep such things in their basements), or their critter is the type to totally freak out (and who wants to manage a biting/clawing cat when you need to move a child?) It's like what's more important here?

And of course there are those who will say... ah, it's only a ___________, it'll manage. But we don't know who is whom.

My prayers go out to you in this trying time. Open your home up to friends and family if you can to give them safe haven.

 

[degrassi]

Our condo in Canmore has been flooded but we don't know to what extent yet. My brother is in Calgary but thankfully his house isn't affected. He does run the 2 Bubbles car washes down there and he isn't sure whats happening to them yet. He thinks they are ok but all the neighbourhood around them have been evacuated so he can't say for sure. A bunch of his friends lived downtown so he has a few of them staying with him. Now Edmonton has a flood watch too. Thankfully Edmonton has a river valley so flooding isn't really expected, except maybe in riverdale, but they said the river could rise 3.5m this weekend!

Its pretty scary. Its going to take a long time to recover and clean up. Not sure whats going to go on with the stampede. I can't see it happening with everything is underwater. Even if it recedes its going to take forever to clean everything up.

 

[Pipsqueak]

That's so scary! And I agree with Ladysown, we can't really judge the people that made the decision to leave their pets behind, I know quite a bit of us probably would never make that decision but when you have a family with little kids then you have to decide. And I'll bet the bunnies got to higher ground, they're smart and they probably knew what was going on. Anyway I'm glad ya'll are okay!

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

Wow! That is so scary! I can't believe how much water there is. I do agree with ladysown and Emily, if you have kids and pets in the house and you have to leave the house of course your going to choose your kids. I probably would bring both if I had kids but you can't judge those people. And yes, I'm sure most of the animals were smart enough to get away from the water. I'm sure most of them will live. That is so scary!

 

[Kipcha]

I have to disagree a bit, these people had HOURS warning. This wasn't a flash flood, it built up over time (In Calgary) and people just weren't taking it seriously because this sort of thing just doesn't happen here on this scale. And when I see on the news people who are leaving behind dogs/cats, but grabbing their laptops, big screen tvs, etc. then I will judge because seriously, what's more important?

While this flood didn't effect us, we did have one quite a few years ago when we lived in a different house that made us escape through the windows as water was waist deep. My parents had us to deal with, we were young, but they got us ready then got the animals ready and we left. We didn't worry about important belongings, we got what was truly important.

That's not even to mention the TONS of rescues that were offering to go into peoples houses and get animals that they couldn't find at the time. They could have contacted them, even we helped out someone who was preparing to evacuate, get their animals ready.

Either way, I am glad the water is going down. Went to Elbow Drive and it's already down a fair bit, but there is a lot of destruction underneath, concrete heaved up and potholes nearly deeper then I am tall. Gonna take a long time to fix again.

I don't know where the other Mr. Bubbles is, but the one on Macleod by Chinook Center looks fine, no flooding.

 

[Pipsqueak]

That does make a difference, I can't believe that some people were taking their electronics instead of saving their animals. It's disgusting. I'm glad that the water is going down.

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

Oh than that does make a difference. I thought they had only a few minutes to leave but hours! Now I agree with you. It would be easy to take your pet along with you. Wow, I can't believe they were taking their laptops and electronics over their pets. That is horrible!

At least the water is going down.

 

[ladysown]

Hours to prepare. Not taking it seriously.
Taking electronics.

I can understand the frustration that you have.

I stand corrected in regards to those that misjudged priorities.

 

[kmaben]

Yikes that is so terrible. A lot of destruction and rebuilding to do. Sending prayers Canadas way.