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Flooded road in northern Canada on May 4th (icon image)
Photo: David Lipnowski / IMAGO/ZUMA Press
Hay River is located on Great Slave Lake in northwestern Canada.
Numerous rivers and canals flow into the lake here.
However, after ice clogged them and heavy rainfall caused the rivers to swell further, tidal waves have now engulfed the city.
All 4000 residents were ordered to evacuate and brought to safety, the flood reached the city center.
A tribal leader from the indigenous Katl'odeeche First Nation based in the flooded area also ordered the entire community to be evacuated towards the town of Enterprise.
The City of Yellowknife opened a center for people leaving Hay River.
In Fort Providence, a gas station helped people through the night.
Others apparently wanted to go to other parts of the province of Alberta.
Residents rescued with boats
Many people had little time to get to safety - leaving their homes and most of their belongings behind, Northwest Territories Chief Executive Caroline Cochrane and Minister for Local Affairs Shane Thompson said.
The only road to the local airport is impassable.
Other parts of western Canada are also struggling with the worst flooding in decades.
In Hay River, part of the accumulated ice broke away on Wednesday and sent a new gush of water towards the city, as reported by broadcaster CBC News, among others.
Within minutes, the center was more than a meter under water, and some residents were rescued from their homes by boat.
The floods had already hit the indigenous settlement of Paddle Prairie Mtis over the weekend.
The state of emergency was declared on Sunday, said Justin Gaudet from the community.
Six nearby rivers have reached levels last observed more than 50 years ago.
An end to the tense situation is not in sight.
Hydrologist Shawne Kokelj said this week that snowmelt could continue to swell many of the smaller streams.
Apr/AP
