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
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.