PM Harpo Shocked, Shocked By Extent & Intensity Of Alberta Flooding - 3 Known Dead, 100K Evacuated

[hatrack]

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who travelled to Alberta to witness the damage done by floodwaters in southern Alberta and Calgary, says the magnitude of the flood in the province's most populous city is "just extraordinary."

Harper met Alberta Premier Alison Redford and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi at the Calgary airport just after 3 p.m. MT where he received a briefing before taking a helicopter tour of the flood-damaged areas.

Harper and Redford had spoken by phone earlier Friday and agreed to a co-ordinated response to the disaster. Harper also spoke to Nenshi, who provided an update on the situation in his city, which includes Harper's riding of Calgary Southwest.

The prime minister said at a Friday evening news conference that there are concerns that if the flood worsens, it could have "real impact on infrastructure and other services longer term" in Calgary, but he encouraged people to be optimistic and patient as the situation evolves.

EDIT

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/06/21/pol-cp-harper-redford-calgary-alberta-flooding.html

Good thing that events like this have never been called for in the history of climate modeling, huh? Much better for you as a politician when you're just totally blindsided by events like this.

[OnlinePoker]

1. Alberta has a pretty good resource tool for flood risks

http://www.envinfo.gov.ab.ca/FloodHazard/

People build on a flood plain, they shouldn't be surprised if they get flooded. Unfortunately, especially in a place like Calgary, the city has expanded all along the river valleys, and people who aren't right beside them think they are far enough away that if a big one comes, they'll be immune. It also doesn't help having flood control further upstream as, rather than spreading the flood waters out as nature intended, it concentrates the water until it crests at a higher rate further down.