Floodwaters force 84 people out of Peguis First Nation

Eighty-four community members from Peguis First Nation have been forced from their homes as floodwaters continue to rise on the Manitoba First Nation.

• Ice jam forces Swan River, Man., to declare local state of emergency
• Red River recedes, roads washed out in Manitoba Saturday

The community's chief says as many as 300 homes on the reserve have been impacted by overland flooding.

Chief Glenn Hudson said 84 people were taken to Winnipeg hotels as of Saturday night, with more on their way Sunday afternoon. The Red Cross has been called in. 

Hudson said Peguis has flooded every year for 30 years but water this year seems to be more severe.

The chief said this year's flood is starting to resemble the 2011 flood that damaged homes and forced a wide-scale evacuation. 

"It's starting to creep up in those areas as far as the number of homes impacted."

The First Nation declared a local state of emergency on Friday and is asking the province and federal government for help.​

"There has been homes that have been overcome by water, and whether they're destroyed, they're not inhabited, definitely," Hudson said. But the impact doesn't end when the flood waters recede. 

"It's become virtually routine," Hudson said. "And one of the main issues arising from floods and flood waters is the issue with respect to mould, onset of mould in our houses." 

Several other communities have declared local states of emergency in recent days as high river levels, ice jams, and overland flooding have wreaked havoc across the province.