Dozens of basements flooded due to Monday night rainstorm in Weyburn
City crews and residents are cleaning up after a heavy rainstorm rolled into Weyburn Monday night.
Based on Kasey Fowler’s rain gauge, his yard on 6th Street got about six inches of rain. His basement was flooded with even more water.
“There was basically a water line around our entire basement. I measured it and it was at 39 inches,” Fowler said.
“It looked like our house had been ransacked. There were freezers tipped over, the couch had been moved, everything was just kind of laying on the ground.”
Fowler is still sorting through the damage, but he said most things are replaceable, like his wrecked DVDs and couch.
However, he said the family photo albums will be a tough loss.
As of Wednesday afternoon, SGI Canada had received 55 claims from the Weyburn area, according to spokesperson Tyler McMurchy. The majority of claims were related to sewer back up, he said, and a handful of claims were for vehicle damage.
McMurchy said residents who are waiting to see an adjuster should start the clean up process themselves and keep the receipts for any costs associated with cleaning.
“Take a lot of photos and video to document what’s been damaged and what’s been lost. Record model numbers if possible, as well,” he said.
“You want to have as good of a description of those damaged items as possible.”
Monday’s flood also damaged city streets and opened up some sinkholes, according to the city’s director of engineering, Jennifer Wilkinson.
She said crews started blocking off streets around 10 p.m. Monday night and will continue to assess the damage in areas of the city.
“We had lots of streets that were barely passable, completely flooded out into people’s yards, and draining issues, so we had crews out releasing catch basins” Wilkinson said.
The pool was the only city facility that suffered significant water damage, Wilkinson said. It will stay closed while officials clean up and assess the damage.
The storm filled the city’s lift station, forcing crews to drain the wastewater directly into the ditch rather than the lagoon, Wilkinson said.
“The water was rising so fast that we couldn’t keep up,” she said.
“(The direct release) was to keep it from backing into people’s homes and having the sewer essentially back up.”
The city has applied for the provincial disaster assistance program. If approved, residents will be able to submit claims for damage that is not covered by insurance.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.