State of Emergency declared in Calgary

Heavy rains, floods and the potential of high river flows have forced Calgary and several communities in Alberta to declare a state of emergency, as city officials warned that the magnitude of the flood could be worse than that of 2005.

Evacuations from areas along the Elbow River are expected later today or tomorrow, Calgary officials said.

Calgary also activated the city's municipal emergency plan late Thursday morning, in anticipation of the heavy flows in the Elbow and Bow rivers reaching the city.

Calgary city officials said the magnitude of the flood could be worse than that of 2005. Evacuations from along the Elbow River are expected later today or tomorrow. (Rachel MacLean/CBC)
The city also opened its Emergency Operations Centre, where key personnel from city business units and external groups such as Enmax, Atco and Alberta Health Services gather to support front-line responders. It serves as the city's multi-agency command centre for large-scale emergencies.