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UPDATE: Hwy63 reopened after flood, 881 still closed

UPDATE 3:00 PM:

Highway 63 has re-opened to traffic in all lanes; but Highway 881 remains closed north of Anzac due to the bridge flooding.

UPDATE: 9AM

Alberta Transportation says the worst of highway 63’s flooding has passed and it’s now open to alternating traffic, but 881 is closed.

Spokesperson Melinda Steenbergen says 63 shut down last night around 9:30 because a beaver dam broke.

At one point, it left about 2 feet of water on the road between Wandering River and Mariana Lake.

881 shut down earlier this morning, because a bridge near Morris Creek lost fill and is making it unsafe for vehicles to travel over.

RCMP suggest not to travel in the area, but if necessary to proceed with caution.

Stay tuned for updates.

UPDATE:

Highway 63 and 881 are both shut down because of flooding, about 32 kilometres south of town.

The rain’s also caused a voluntary evacuation of Anzac residents that live on Aamaco Road.

They’re being asked to head over to the Anzac Community Hall.

Police recommend to make other driving arrangments and to drive to the weather conditions.

BACKGROUND STORY:

511 Alberta says Highway 63 has been closed to traffic other than large vehicles south of Fort McMurray.

Several areas of intense flooding are cropping up along the road.

First, there is 60 centimetre deep water near the Hangingstone River, just after the junction with Highway 881.

Further south, a beaver dam broke at kilometre 214 between Wandering River and Mariana Lake, resulting in up to 2 feet of water on the road.

Finally, closer to the junction with Highway 55, there was flooding 60 centimetres deep near the Hangingstone Creek.

Environment Canada reports that the region had more than 35 millimetres of rain fall Saturday, plus the 40mm that fell Sunday.

Last year, June alone only saw 40mm.

660 Meteorologist David Spence says the rainfall record for the region is 94.5 mm on August 26th, 1976.

June 9, 2013