The mayor of Belleville is asking citizens to volunteer for sandbag duty as rising water and predicted rain threaten parts of the small eastern Ontario city. Melting snow has caused water levels of the Moira River to rise dramatically in the past few days. Mayor Neil Ellis issued a state of emergency on Friday afternoon. But even more rain is forecast in the next few days. Today Ellis asked all able-bodied persons to help. CTV has quoted Jennifer May-Anderson, spokesperson for Quinte Conservation Authority, as saying conditions in the area could deteriorate very quickly, reaching levels seen back in 2008 when Belleville was hit with a similar flood.
