Flood waters in Bragg Creek have forced more than 1,150 people from their homes, after a mandatory evacuation order was called early Friday morning.
“It’s absolute devastation. We’ve never had water here,” business owner Marina Cooke, whose restaurant was flooded, told Global News.
“Businesses, homes, everything is just flooded and gone.”
The small hamlet, just west of Calgary, saw the Elbow River rise nearly four meters Thursday. As of Friday morning it has yet to crest and the worst may be yet to come.
"The protective dike that surrounds the community is being threatened and there's no longer anything we can do," fire chief Rob Evans told CBC News.
"They had been trying to shore it up with big boulders and the river's just moving so quickly that it's pushing them along the river as quickly as they were dropping them in."
Early this morning, fire officials declared a mandatory evacuation for the entire community of Bragg Creek. According to Evans, the entire community has left.
Residents are urged to make their way to the county’s emergency evacuation centre at Springbank Park for All Seasons, at 32224A Springbank Road. Evacuees can also head to the Banded Peak School located on Highway 22 south and from there they will be transported to the evacuation centre.
A stunning and scary video posted to YouTube Thursday, shows a home being swept down the Elbow River in Bragg Creek, as onlookers express shock.
Warning: NSFW Language
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Flooding In Southern Alberta, June 20, 21
Emergency Declared In Southern Alberta After Heavy Flooding(01 of56)
Houses damaged along the edge of Cougar Creek are shown June 20, 2013 in Canmore, Alta. Widespread flooding caused by torrential rains washed out bridges and roads prompting the evacuation of thousands. (credit:Getty Images)
Emergency Declared In Southern Alberta After Heavy Flooding(02 of56)
Residents watch flooding along Cougar Creek June 20, 2013 in Canmore, Alta. Widespread flooding caused by torrential rains washed out bridges and roads prompting the evacuation of thousands. (credit:Getty Images)
Emergency Declared In Southern Alberta After Heavy Flooding(03 of56)
Residents watch the flooding Cougar Creek as it takes out Eagle Terrace Road and nears the top of the Elk Run Blvd Bridge June 20, 2013 in Canmore, Alta. Widespread flooding caused by torrential rains washed out bridges and roads prompting the evacuation of thousands. (credit:Getty Images)
Emergency Declared In Southern Alberta After Heavy Flooding(04 of56)
Houses damaged along the edge of Cougar Creek. (credit:Getty)
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A lone truck sits submerged in the flood waters near downtown High River, Alta. on Thursday. (credit:AP)
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Homes along Cougar Creek in Canmore, Alta. barely hang on as the town struggles to deal with flooding Thursday. (credit:AP)
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A front end loader carries residents after they were rescued from the flood waters in High River, Alberta. (credit:AP)
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A kayaker paddles down a flooded street in High River, Alberta on Thursday. (credit:AP)
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Cars are submerged by the flood waters in High River, Alberta on Thursday. (credit:AP)
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Kevan Yaets swims after his cat Momo to safety as the flood waters sweep him downstream after submerging his truck in High River, Alberta on Thursday. (credit:AP)
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A woman is rescued from the flood waters in High River, Alta. on Thursday. (credit:AP)
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Kevan Yaets crawls out the back window of his pick up truck with his cat Momo as the flood waters sweep him downstream after submerging his truck in High River. (credit:AP)
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A helicopter carrying residents lands on a road in High River, Alta., Thursday. (credit:AP)
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Roger Poirier, holds his family's cat, Smartie, as his wife Crystal looks on after rescuing it from their flooded house in High River, Alta., Thursday. (credit:AP)
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Cars and homes are submerged in flood waters in High River. (credit:AP)
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Rescuers looks for stranded residents in High River, Alta. on June 20, 2013 after the Highwood River overflowed its banks. (credit:The Canadian Press/Jordan Verlage)
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A shot of the homes along Cougar Creek. (credit:Lauren Wheeler)
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Semi truck sit idle to the Trans-Canada Highway in Canmore, Alta. on Thursday June 20, 2013. Calgary and most of southern Alberta are being hammered by rain that has washed-out roads and bridges, caused mudslides and closed major highways. (credit:The Canadian Press/John Marriott)
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A flooded residence in High river, Alta. Heavy rains have caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuation in High River, Alta., Thursday, June 20, 2013. (credit:The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)
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A front end loader carries people to safety from the flood waters in High River, Alta. on June 20, 2013 after the Highwood River overflowed its banks. (credit:The Canadian Press/Jordan Verlage)
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Kevan Yaets swims after his cat Momo to safety as the flood waters sweep him downstream and submerge the cab in High River, Alberta on June 20, 2013 after the Highwood River overflowed its banks. Hundreds of people have been evacuated with volunteers and emergency crews helping to aid stranded residents. (credit:The Canadian Press/Jordan Verlage)
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A resident is comforted by rescuers as she clutches her dog after being retrieved from the flood waters in High River, Alta. on June 20, 2013 after the Highwood River overflowed its banks. (credit:The Canadian Press/Jordan Verlage)
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A lone truck sits submerged in the flood waters near downtown High River, Alta. on June 20, 2013 after the Highwood River overflowed its banks. (credit:The Canadian Press/Jordan Verlage)
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Krystal Lelond of Black Diamond clutches her cat Pipi after being evacuated from her home after the Sheep River overflowed its banks. (credit:The Canadian Press/Jordan Verlage)
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An elderly woman is rescued from the flood waters in High River, Alta. on June 20, 2013 after the Highwood River overflowed its banks. (credit:The Canadian Press/Jordan Verlage)
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Debris and water pours across the Trans-Canada Highway as Canmore struggles with flooding. (credit:he Canadian Press/ Craig Douce, Rocky Mountain Outlook)
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A woman wades through the flood waters in High River, Alta. on June 20, 2013 after the Highwood River overflowed its banks. (credit:The Canadian Press/Jordan Verlage)
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Flooding in Black Diamond (credit:Twitter: @AlBeks)
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This is the view of the bridge over the Highwood. Normally there is a couple metres clearance below it. (credit:Twitter: @ElectDanielle)
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A kayaker paddles down a flooded street in High River, Alta. on June 20, 2013 after the Highwood River overflowed its banks. (credit:The Canadian Press/ Jordan Verlage)
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One of several rock slides blocking #hwy40 in Kananaskis. No access to Kananaskis village. (credit:Twitter: @Alberta511)
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Look at the flooding in #lethbridge !! This street has been shut down (credit:Twitter: @officialJazyFizz)
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Residents wade through flood waters after an evacuation order following heavy rains caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuation in High River. (credit:The Canadian Press/ Jeff McIntosh)
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A helicopter carrying evacuated residents lands on a road in High river, Alta. Heavy rains have caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuation in High River, Alta., Thursday, June 20, 2013. (credit:The Canadian Press/ Jeff McIntosh)
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The Bow river swells over its banks in downtown Calgary, Alta. Heavy rains have caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuation in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, June 20, 2013. (credit:THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
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The Bow river swells over its banks in downtown Calgary, Alta. Heavy rains have caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuation in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, June 20, 2013. (credit:THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
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Onlookers watch the Bow river swell in downtown Calgary, Alta. Heavy rains have caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuation in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, June 20, 2013. (credit:THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
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The Calgary Stampede rodeo grounds are flooded due to the heavy rains have caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuation in Calgary, Alta., Friday, June 21, 2013. (credit:THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
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The Calgary Stampede rodeo grounds are flooded due to the heavy rains have caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuation in Calgary, Alta., Friday, June 21, 2013. (credit:THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
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A firefighter walks through the rising water in the community of Bowness as up to 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Calgary, Alta., on Friday, June 21, 2013. (credit:THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)
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A photograph of the back yard of a resident as rising water flooding homes in the community of Bowness as up to 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Calgary, Alta., on Friday, June 21, 2013. (credit:THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)
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Calgarians look out over a flooded Calgary Stampede grounds and Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, June 21, 2013. Officials estimated 75,000 people have been displaced in the western Canadian city. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff (credit:(The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh))