Red Deer hospital operating rooms closed by flooding

Dozens of surgeries at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre are being deferred after four operating rooms were flooded Tuesday.

Alberta Health Services said 11surgeries were postponedTuesdayand 28 Wednesday.

The flooding was related to construction taking place on the second floor, saidAlberta Health spokespersonKerryBales.

The water flooded into the second-flooratrium just before noonhour and down ontothe first floor,he said.

Alberta Health spokespersonKerryBales said it's not known when the operating rooms will be back on line.

"We're hoping that we willhavetwo of them up and running probably within a week," he said. "The other two we are still evaluating to see how much the damage was and whether or not they will beserviceablesooner or more work will have to be done later."

The hospital isprioritizingpatients, scheduling thosewith serious and life-threatening conditions first and deferring elective and other surgeries, Bales said.

"We are working to make sure thatwe are getting those people rebooked as soon as possible."

The hospital has five other operating rooms which are functioning normally.