By Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press Published Tuesday, June 25, 2013 9:47AM CST Last Updated Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:53PM CST

As Medicine Hat returns after flooding, frustration grows in High River

HIGH RIVER, Alta. -- The mayor of High River on Tuesday beseeched residents demanding to return to their homes to have some understanding for the monumental recovery task that faces the flooded southern Alberta community.

Emile Blokland said people need to realize that the water that engulfed the town of 13,000 and forced a full and mandatory evacuation last week bore little resemblance to a normal flood.

"What you don't understand is we don't have a flood. We have a disaster," Blokland said. "Floods are very easy to deal with -- water comes, water goes, and then we clean up afterwards.

"This is a major disaster we are dealing with. It's at the same level as the Slave Lake fire that devastated that community. That's what we are dealing with and that is the major reason we cannot have residents return to the town of High River."

The wildfires that swept through Slave Lake in 2011 destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses. In that disaster, evacuees were put on buses and driven around the town so that they could safely inspect the damage.

Not an option here, said Blokland.

"That will happer our efforts," the mayor said. "We need to keep the town as completely free of people that don't need to be there as much as possible.

"We can't have more people in the community. It is as simple as that."

Go here to see the original:

Medicine Hat flood evacuees start to return home; officials warn damage severe