Eleven Saskatchewan communities have declared local states of emergencies in recent days after continued heavy rainfall flooded eastern parts of the province.
In total, 13 communities are in states of emergency, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said.
It is working alongside the Water Security Agency (WSA) to offer support, resources and accommodations to affected communities, including the eastern village of Togo, the town of Canora, and Cote First Nation.
Nine people have been evacuated from the First Nation as of noon Thursday due to concern over emergency access to homes, according to the SPSA.
“In addition to the equipment that’s being sent out, we do have staff that’s on the ground assisting communities with the process of working their way through an emergency,” said Tyler Harrison, manager of emergency service operations at the SPSA, during a virtual news conference Thursday.
Team members are also providing “expertise” on managing the situation to flood-affected communities in east-central Saskatchewan, he continued.
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The length of the SPSA’s stay in each community will vary depending on what is needed of the agency, Harrison said.
Flooding occurred after a series of storms dumped 100-275 mm of rain over approximately 10 days in eastern areas, said Leah Clark, an executive director for irrigation and economic development with the WSA.
“These localized flood events are very difficult to predict and manage. And they’re driven by intense storm systems which drop a lot of water in a short period,” she told reporters.
Overland flooding has also shut down stretches of Saskatchewan’s highways, Dan Palmer, senior communications consultant with the Highway Hotline said.
“Water is either covering segments of driving lanes or portions of provincial highways are simply closed,” Palmer said.
Ministry of Highways crews are working to temporarily restore impacted streets with gravel and other band aid solutions for now. Work towards permanent fixes will begin later, he said, adding teams will investigate structural issues with the roads at that point.
As of Thursday afternoon, the ministry reported 17 closures along highways in the region, as well as 18 areas where water was flowing over the roadway.
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