One person died and many injured due to the severe flooding in Northern Alberta’s Fort McMurray area, where thousands more are waiting for ice jams to disperse more and water to recede.

The mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo said one person has died as a result of flooding in northern Alberta.

“I have offered the condolences of mayor and council and I reached out to the community where this individual lived,” he continued.

“I tried to connect with the family and let them know if they need anything that they should please reach out. We have a very strong relationship with our Indigenous community.

“We were all very saddened to hear that news.”

A 25-kilometre-long ice jam has caused major flooding and forced about 13,000 people from their homes in Fort McMurray’s downtown. On Wednesday, officials said the ice jam had receded and was estimated to be 20 kilometres long.

More than 450 residents from the region have been forced from their homes after the Peace River breached its banks at Fort Vermilion and North Vermilion. Knelsen previously said that the last flood of this magnitude in the region was in 1934.