An evacuation order has been lifted in Brantford after heavy flooding forced about 2,200 families out of their home.
The municipality declared a state of emergency on Wednesday morning after rising water levels along the Grand River breached the dikes and flowed into several low-lying areas lining the river.
However, the evacuation order was lifted at around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Bridges that were closed as a result of the flooding were declared off-limits until a full structural assessment could be completed.
“The city wishes to extend our sincere gratitude to our federal and provincial counterparts who are fully aware of the situation and offered a full host of resources and assistance as required,” the city said earlier today. “The Ministry of Transportation will be onsite to assess structural soundness of the three road bridges impacted in the evacuation area as well as two pedestrian bridges.”
Officials have said that the flooding in Brantford was exacerbated by an ice jam that developed early Wednesday morning.
Speaking with CTV News Toronto, Mayor of Brantford Chris Friel said the ice jam came to a halt Thursday afternoon.
“Just after 2 p.m. today it flushed right through then we had another bridge that was blocked there and it was flowed through and the last one it flowed through then we were able to move to lifting the evacuation order and getting people back into their homes,” he said.
But, Friel said residents should still be wary of water damage in their homes.
“We are very cautious of making sure people understand that there are still extreme risks,” he said. “If your property has been flooded we will be there to work with you and those areas that have had hydro and gas turned off they’re starting already – hydro can be turned on as early as tonight for some customers and gas will be in at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning for those affected areas going door-to-door to turn gas back on for individuals.”
A total of seven schools that are in the impacted neighbourhoods were closed on Thursday.
