State of emergency declared in Harriston due to widespread flooding

A state of emergency has been declared in the Town of Minto rural municipality after significant rainfall overnight has led to flooding in some area towns.

Residents in Harriston are being told to stay in their homes and the public elementary school is closed after more than 44 millimetres of rain fell on the area overnight.

Minto Mayor George Bridge declared a state of emergency at 10 a.m. Friday.

Residents of a trailer park in Harriston were told to leave their homes and the power and gas was disconnected to the park. As well, residents on King Street South near the Harriston Arena were being helped out of their homes as flood waters rise.

"There's an apartment down by the river and six apartments[units] have been evacuated and they are with relatives at this point in time," said Bridge.

"Nobody was injured, we got them out."

Several homes have been evacuated in the areas of Young Street, Mill Street and George Street, according to a statement from the Town of Minto. The Palmerston Arena is open for evacuated residents. 

Residents and businesses are being advised to avoid contributing to traffic in the area by remaining in place ​unless asked to evacuate.

Minto-Clifford Public School was closed and students who attend Norwell District Secondary School in Palmerston were told exams would delayed until 10 a.m., but if they are unable to make it in, "we will make alternate arrangements."

The forecast is calling for up to 14 mm of rain to fall in the area Friday.

Some roads not safe

The Town of Minto warned some roads "are not safe to drive on" and public works staff are working to block off those streets.

Highway 89 in Harriston is closed from Arthur Street to O'Dwyers Road and several other streets within Harriston are flooded.

The river has also breached the Young Street Bridge and flooded the immediate areas of King Street, George Street and the trailer park.

Minto Fire, the OPP and Public Works have asked travellers to find alternative routes and not enter Harriston for public safety reasons. The Ministry of Transportation and the County of Wellington are in the process of closing roads to Harriston, said the statement from the town.

Isolated flooding has occurred in Palmerston and Clifford and in rural areas. Some rural roads are now impassable.

Wellington County OPP said they received about a dozen calls early Friday morning about damage to roads and properties due to the rain in Wellington North, the Township of Mapleton and the Town of Minto.

"The OPP ask anyone travelling not to drive on closed or water covered roads. Avoid fast flowing water as it is quite powerful and can pose a serious hazard. A car can be become unstable in less than 15 cm (6in) of water," police said in a release.

'Knee-high corn and waist-high water'

Many people shared their experience with the rainfall on social media.

Reroot Organic Farm posted a photo showing they got 12 cm of rain overnight.

"I know I whined a lot about the drought last year, but we've had enough rain now," the Instagram post read.