For most of Sunday evening and Monday, residents have been surveying the damage and trying to pump water out of their homes after a watermain break occurred early Sunday.
The mishap sent a flood of water into the Central McDougall neighbourhoods, filling basements, and in some cases, trapping residents.
The city says 104 Avenue will now be reduced to a single lane in eastbound and westbound directions between 103 Street and 105 Street for the next month due to the watermain break.
Traffic will be split to the north half of 104 Avenue for two weeks, then to the south half of 104 Avenue for two weeks.
Motorists are asked to detour using Jasper Avenue, 107 Avenue, 109 Street or 101 Street.
Fire officials reported they responded to the incident around 8 a.m. and had trouble getting into some spots because the water was at one point hip-deep out on the streets.
One woman was taken away by ambulance for treatment of frostbite after she spent an undetermined amount of time trapped inside her vehicle. There were no reports of any other injuries.
At least half a dozen people were escorted out of their homes, with the St. John's Cultural Centre opening its doors as a temporary emergency shelter.
Area resident Carol McCallum told CTV News she had to be rescued from her home by firefighters after water rushed her downstairs bedroom and
flooded her basement.
"The whole basement was filled," she said.
She says water burst through the window of her 15-year-old daughter's bedroom. The teen wasn't downstairs at the time.
"When we looked out and there was three or four feet of water everywhere, you know, cars submerged, she really thought that it was another New Orleans," said McCallum.
She predicts they will be out of their home for weeks, as there is no heat or electricity. Their cars were also destroyed in the incident.
McCallum and some of her neighbours are now taking inventory of what they have lost.
"Lots of furniture and a piano and there's lots of family memorabilia," said McCallum.
Epcor crews started digging Monday in an attempt to find out what caused the watermain break. Epcor now says the flooding was caused by a leak in a large 76-centimetre transmission line.
"So this is a major bulk water line and that's why so much water was coming out," said Epcor spokesperson Tim le Riche.
The flow is now shut off and crews are still taking a closer look at the watermain.
"Once we get down to the pipe, then we can have a closer look and find out what happened," said Le Riche.
Residents are now left to deal with their insurance provider hoping they won't be stuck with any of the costs.
It's not clear how long it will take to find how why the watermain ruptured.
Typically, Epcor is not on the hook for regular watermain breaks under city bylaws. But Epcor says it can't say whether this could be a different case until crews examine the line. For now, residents are advised to deal with their home insurance provider.
With files from Bill Fortier
