Heavy rainfall leads to water rescues and state of emergency in areas of Ontario

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Halton Hills Fire Department tweeted today that 17 people were either rescued or assisted from the Credit River.

They say current high water levels are dangerous and are urging people to stay out of the river until the water levels drop.

Earlier in the afternoon Halton Police tweeted about the strong currents on the Credit River after rescuing two kayakers.

This week’s rain has resulted in heavy runoff in many regions and a flood warning continues for southern Grand River and a flood watch is in place for northern Grand River watershed.

According to Waterloo Regional Police and the Grand River Conservation authority, more than 100 millimetres of rain fell in the area on Friday for the the heaviest rainfall since 2008.

Boaters, anglers and anyone else visiting the area are asked to use caution on the water. People are also being asked to keep their children and pets away from the river banks.

With more rain in the forecast, rivers and streams will remain high throughout the weekend and have affected multiple cities throughout the province.

A state of emergency has been declared for the town of Minto, located just northwest of Kitchener.

About 30 families living in Minto have been moved from their homes and OPP have evacuated a campground in Mount Forest.