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
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.