CALGARY

Province surveys flood damage in southern Alberta

ctvcalgary.ca Published Sunday, June 20, 2010 4:42PM MDT

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It will be weeks before we learn the full extent of the damage, but the government expects the losses to be in the millions.

Some provincial politicians got their first look at the flood damage in southern Alberta this weekend.

Deputy Premier Doug Horner, Minister of Environment Rob Renner, and Minster of Agriculture Jack Hayden toured areas hit hardest by the flooding.

The Ministers hit the ground in Medicine Hat late Saturday afternoon and met with local first responders and municipal leaders to learn more about how the flooding is impacting local residents and an already struggling agricultural sector.

The group visited several communities including Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Warner, Foremost, Hanna, and Taber. An aerial tour via helicopter gave them a first-hand view of the affected agricultural land, communities, and swollen creeks and rivers.

All southern Albertans are cautioned to take necessary steps to ensure their safety and protect their property, but the province says it will help home and business owners who don't have insurance cover their losses.

Residents are also directed to notify the municipality if they are experiencing flooding, take pictures of damages, and document clean-up.

For the latest information on boil water notices and how to safely clean flood water, please call Health Link Alberta at 1-866-408-LINK (5465).

The following is a list of contact information for the areas under a state of emergency: