Communities along Lake Winnipeg underwater and scrambling after strong rain, wind batters shoreline

Communities along the western shores of Lake Winnipeg are scrambling to protect their homes and livelihoods after a rainy and windy weekend caused at least two commercial boats to sink and some people to leave their homes.

In one harbour near Hecla, debris littered the docks and water, said Doug Johnson, the president of the harbour authority at Gull Harbour.

One fisherman had two commercial boats sink, he said. The fisherman is waiting until the water calms down to pull them out.

"There's probably over a good foot of water on top of the dock, if not more. We had whitecaps breaking over top of the dock last night," Johnson said. 

"There's 20 commercial fisherman boats parked there right now. They stay and held overnight, we're lucky they didn't break off or anything."

Further south in Gimli, harbour master Trevor Cowie said the main dock is staying strong, but Fishermans' Pier is under water.

"I've been boating here 22 years and I've never seen it this high. And people have told me that they haven't seen it this high since 1967," he said.

Just outside of Gimli on Willow Island, longtime resident Judith Arnason says the wind caused big waves to form on the island that's connected to the mainland by a causeway, which is now closed.

"As I saw the water rising, I said to my daughter, 'We got to get out of here,'" she said.

Arnason is frustrated with the guidance she was given by the province's emergency measures organization and the lack of notice she was given.

"I asked them if we should go, and he said, 'Well, you make your own decision.' Make your own decision? I'm an old lady! What the hell? ... Should I made a decision to sit and drowned?"

CBC News has asked the province for comment but a spokesperson didn't immediately respond.

Arnason is worried for the vulnerable people who live on the island, which she's called home for 25 years.

"There's lots of people out there who are single ladies whose husbands have died. I don't know how they are. Nobody comes to check to see if you're okay."