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Flooding in northeastern Alberta prompts evacuations

June 11, 2013, Fort McMurray, Alta. – Flooding continues to cause problems for people in a northeastern Alberta city.

A trailer park in Fort McMurray, Alta., has been evacuated, as well as a few other homes in low lying areas of the city.

Annie Chatelain, who lives on high ground in Fort McMurray, says two major parks are completely flooded.

Chatelain has lived in Fort McMurray for decades and has never seen flooding like this.

She says several areas of the city are impassable because of flooded streets, adding even in her neighbourhood, water has been seeping into basements. Chatelain says everyone's sump pumps are working overtime.

Alberta Environment has issued a flood warning for the Hangingstone River at Fort McMurray.

It says a slow-moving low pressure system over central Saskatchewan has brought between 80 to 180 millimetres of rain to the area since Friday.

Emergency officials are discouraging residents from trying to get close for photos or video of the overflowing river.

The Fire Department says river banks are not stable and the water is moving extremely fast.

On Monday, flooding over a 30-kilometre section of Highway 63 resulted in the road being closed for several hours.