Overflowing River Recedes Slightly

The rampaging Red River began to recede slightly here Wednesday and public officials dared for the first time to talk about recovery.

Amid increasingly warm spring sunshine, the National Weather Service declared that the Red River had fallen half a foot since it crested Tuesday at 54.1 feet.

Mayor Pat Owens said teams of engineers had begun checking the safety of certain neighborhoods with an eye toward letting some residents return to their homes in the southwest part of town soon on a “selective basis” to collect valuables and assess water damage.

Until Wednesday, officials had said it would be two or three weeks before people were allowed back anywhere near their houses because it would take that long for the water to recede after cresting.

As the crest of the Red River crept northward, Canadian authorities Wednesday ordered the evacuation of all 17,000 residents of towns between the U.S. border and Winnipeg.

A third person was presumed drowned in the rising flood waters. He was Daniel Leskiw, 40, of Souris, Manitoba, missing since Tuesday night after he took a kayak out on the Souris River, authorities said.