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The 1950 Red River Flood was a devastating flood that took place along the Red River in The Dakotas and Manitoba in early 1950. Winnipeg, Manitoba was inundated on May 5, also known as Black Friday to some residents,[1] and had to be partially evacuated. In that year, the Red River reached its highest level since 1861 and flooded most of the Red River Valley.
Winnipeg Elm Park]] sheltered evacuees during the flood. Winnipeg was ill-prepared for such a huge swell of water, even though it predictably followed heavy snows in the winter and heavy rains in the spring. Eight dikes gave way and flooded much of the city, turning of farmland into an enormous lake. The city turned to the Canadian Army and the Red Cross for help. In the end, four of eleven bridges were destroyed and nearly 100,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes and businesses. This was the largest evacuation in Canadian history until the 1979 Mississauga train derailment. In Winnipeg only one person, Lawson Ogg, lost his life to the flood but the final tally in damage was estimated at between $600 million[3] and over a billion dollars.[1] United States Flooding in the Red River Valley of the United States resulted in five deaths.[4] See also Footnotes - ↑ a b
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References External links
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![Elm Park]] sheltered evacuees during the flood.](http://www.tutorgig.info/ed/File:Stvitalfirehall.jpg%7Cthumb%7Cright%7C200px%7Calt%3DA_two-storey_concrete_and_red_brick_fire_hall._The_front_of_the_hall_has_three_large_doors_for_vehicles%2C_one_regular_door%2C_and_two_windows.%7CThe_St._Vital_Fire_Hall_in_%5B%5BElm_Park%2C_Winnipeg){kind=link}