Hundreds ordered to leave homes in Kenora, Ont., as floodwaters continue to rise

KENORA, ONT – A city in northwestern Ontario has issued an evacuation order in response to a flood risk that’s expected to grow in the coming days.

Officials in Kenora, Ont., issued the evacuation order Friday, but said more residents were being encouraged to leave their homes this morning when some roads in the area were closed over safety concerns.

The city statement says hundreds of residents are expected to be affected by the orders.

Officials say there was more than 45 centimetres of water on some local streets, noting it’s no longer possible to safely build up roadways or install new culverts.

The city says water levels on Lake of the Woods, the Winnipeg River and Black Sturgeon Lake are expected to keep rising over the next five to seven days.

While water from Black Sturgeon Lake is still flowing into the Winnipeg River, the city warns flooding in surrounding areas could increase significantly if water levels on the river rise too high.