Five times over the past 16 years, the Fisher River has spilled its banks at Peguis First Nation. The river channel is so small and the terrain in Manitoba's northern Interlake is so flat, it doesn't take much for floodwaters to spread far and wide across the Anishinaabe and Cree community. Every time there's a flood, the provincial and federal governments respond with some form of help. Depending on the severity of the flood in question, that assistance has included sandbags, pumps, billeting in hotels and even the replacement of dozens of flood-damaged homes.
This First Nation was swindled out of its land — and into a flood zone
The water was quick, unforgiving. In a matter of days, the flooding on Peguis First Nation, believed to be the worst the community in Manitoba's Interlake has ever seen, displaced roughly 1,600 people and ravaged hundreds of homes. Peguis has 3,521 members usually living on reserve and 6,504 off-reserve members. The largest First Nation community in Manitoba is no stranger to flooding — over the last few decades, residents have been chased from their homes by rising waters several times — but that wasn't always the case.
More homes flooded, more people leave Peguis First Nation in Manitoba
About 200 more people left Peguis First Nation on Wednesday and dozens of workers poured into the community as floodwaters continued to threaten it and other areas of Manitoba. The Fisher River had come up a little overnight before appearing to stabilize, but the rise left more homes surrounded by water or with water inside, Chief Glenn Hudson said.