ROSENORT, Man. – Driving along country roads near this village in the Red River Valley, Art Cornelson can easily point out houses damaged by the flood.
As a sign to disaster assistance teams, the military spray-painted a big red X on the front window of each evacuated home. Most of the homes damaged later in the flood carry the mark.
People who disobeyed the province’s mandatory evacuation order fared better, Cornelson said.
He said local people have been through floods before and know how to handle the situation.
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“Anybody that stayed here and watched the dikes and kept the pumps going, they have saved their houses,” he said, adding many valley residents are angry about the evacuation commands.
“I hope the provincial government has learned its lesson.”
Since April 16, Cornelson has been putting in 16-hour days answering the red phone at the Rosenort Fire Hall, organizing sandbaggers and helping to keep watch during the flood.
Now, the volunteer is co-ordinating the Mennonite Disaster Service’s local efforts to help clean up homes and rebuild lives.
Outside the ring dike around Rosenort, about 100 out of 300 homes were damaged by the flood when sandbag dikes gave way.
Out of those 100 homes, he said about 30 are in a “pathetic” state because water rose and covered the ground floor.
Slime and smell
The Rosenort Evangelical Mennonite Church was badly damaged. The basement, which housed a reception area and kitchen, resembles a dungeon, with water still dripping from the ceiling, slime covering every surface, and the thick, dank smell of mould.
About 20 volunteers spent a week gutting the basement, ripping panels off damaged walls, tearing out sodden carpet and removing the feet of the pews to send to Winnipeg for repairs.
A dike protecting the elementary school and the Eventide Home for the aged also broke.
Cornelson said the town was lucky enough to have military troops to gut the two buildings and clean them out with pressure washers.
The military is gone now. The townspeople sang For he’s a jolly good fellow before they left last week, and prayed for them.
Now, Cornelson said the community hopes to see more volunteers sign up to help the Mennonite Disaster Service.
“Anybody who’s got muscles qualifies.”
Cornelson figures 300 volunteers a day for two weeks would go a long way to getting the community back on its feet. He said about 150 people have turned out each day. They have come from across Canada and the United States.
The Mennonite Disaster Service can help volunteers find lodging and it provides some meals.
Cornelson said volunteers should call ahead. The toll-free number to register is 1-888-240-5480. The MDS office is at 204-261-6381 in Winnipeg, and 204-746-2420 in Rosenort.
