Michipicoten declares state of emergency

About 18 vulnerable residents from Michipicoten First Nation have been evacuated after being stranded due to an Oct. 25 record downpour that washed out the road connecting Michipicoten to Wawa.
The First Nation has also evacuated about 40 other residents since the vulnerable residents were evacuated by helicopter to Wawa on Oct. 27 by Emergency Management Ontario.
“Following a night of heavy rain, the Municipality of Wawa has declared a state of emergency as a result of severe flooding,” said Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty on Oct. 26.
“Michipicoten First Nation has also declared a state of emergency. Local roads and highways there are also affected by the heavy rainfall.”
Michipicoten and Wawa were both flooded after record rainfall hit the area, located about 224 kilometres north of Sault Ste. Marie.
“Now that the waters are receding the damage has become more apparent,” said Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha on Oct. 26. “We have heard the highway could remain closed for almost a week. There is a real urgency for all government ministries to work together to get this resolved immediately.”
Wawa declared a state of emergency on the morning of Oct. 26 after the storm damaged the basement of the hospital, backed up some drains with debris and washed out roads surrounding the community.
Ontario Provincial Police closed Highway 17 about 15 kilometres north of Wawa on the evening of Oct. 25 due to an overflowing river.
“The Trans-Canada Highway is a major southbound artery; it is vital to the community and local industry,” Mantha said. “A week without usage of this section of the highway would be devastating for many. This morning I spoke with Minister Wynne and urged the government to act swiftly.”
The southbound Trans-Canada highway out of Wawa was reopened on Oct. 29, but the highway north of Wawa remains closed.
A date for reopening the highway has not been set by the Ministry of Transportation.
Road work on the Harbour Road into Michipicoten is continuing.