Red Cross accepting donations for Manitoba flood relief

The Canadian Red Cross is accepting monetary donations to help the hundreds of Manitobans who have been displaced by flooding this week.

At least 565 people have been forced from their homes so far this year, including about 160 evacuees from two communities due to spring flooding, according to the provincial government.

Forty-three municipalities and communities have declared states of local emergency since the overland flooding began over the weekend, with the latest additions being the rural municipalities of Glenwood and North Cypress.

The Canadian Red Cross says it is providing essential care items to flood evacuees who have had to leave their belongings behind.

The organization says is also offering cleanup materials and can replace essential personal items destroyed by flooding.

People can donate by calling 1-800-418-1111 (toll-free) or giving online at www.redcross.ca/mbflood.

All donations for flood relief will stay in the province, according to the Red Cross.

In communities across the southwest, people are cleaning up from overland flooding while preparing for a surge of water expected from rivers and tributaries in Saskatchewan next week.

City of Brandon officials are looking for 50 volunteers to help put up sandbags at a home on Rosser Avenue East, east of the Green Spot, starting at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Anyone who can help is asked to park on the easternmost section of the Green Spot parking lot, closest to the nursery, but not in the main customer parking area.

In Virden, Man., residents like John Ross have had to clean up water from their basements.

Ross said he hasmore than a metre of water in the basement of his split-level home. He had a backup generator running as crews cleaned up the damage on Thursday because the power was shut off in his home.

"Took out all the flooring, ripping out the bathroom here now, the fellows are," he said.

"There [were] two bedrooms down here. Like, the dryer was floating, the hot water tank was submerged and the heater."