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Makwa family still waiting for relief after June flood

Aug 3, 2018 | 12:00 PM

Nearly two months after rainfall caused mass flooding in the Village of Makwa, some residents are still dealing with frustrations around government paperwork and funding.

Aimée Loehndorf’s family of four was displaced from their home on and off since June 10, when the village was hit with mass flooding, forcing a state of emergency. While the recent flooding was particularly devastating, flooding in the community is a recurring issue. Loehndorf said she and many other residents have been trying to convince the provincial government to add culverts in the area for the last four years.

In a letter, David Marit, the minister of highways and infrastructure, acknowledged the plight of the village and the Loehndorfs, and said the planned work involves installing five new culverts.

“We will be replacing the existing two culverts at the creek crossing with larger [ones],” Marit said. “We’re installing one new 1500-mm culvert through the highway, and replacing two 600-mm culverts with 900-mm [culverts], which will significantly increase the capacity.”  

This work was slated to start July 15, but has yet to commence.

Loehndorf said the family hasn’t received any assistance beyond their home insurance coverage, though Marit encouraged her to apply for relief through the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program.

“It still hasn’t paid us out full amount of our claim,” she said. “The [Ministry of] Highways assures me that the province will cover what home insurance won’t and when I speak to P.D.A.P. they tell me that they aren’t in the business of topping up home insurance.”

While she’s thankful for the planned culvert replacement, Loehndorf said things are far from back to normal. She, her husband, son, and daughter are back living in their home after staying in their camper for a month. They still have to purchase drinking water, she said, as their filtration system and well are still compromised.

“Our basement is completely gutted and our home is not back to the state it was before the April 20 and June 10 floods this year,” Loehndorf said. “We will need to still insulate and install a new furnace before winter.”

 

 

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath