After second rainstorm causes flooding: Moosomin declares state of emergency
July 15, 2014, 3:04 am
Kevin Weedmark
After the second major downpour within two weeks, and significant flooding as a result, the town of Moosomin has declared a Local Emergency. The State of Emergency was declared at a special council meeting at 10:15 Thursday night and will remain in effect for seven days unless renewed.
Town council also passed a resolution to request designation as an Eligible Assistance Area under the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program. An Emergency Measures Command Centre has been set up at the Moosomin Firehall. The EMO Command Centre can be reached by calling 306-435-3360.
The EMO Command Centre has food and liquids available for people. The Moosomin Baptist Church is a location for accommodations for anyone displaced. Some people were forced from their homes Thursday night when flood waters reached electrical services.
Flood waters led to an electrical fire in the basement of Andrew Agencies on Main Street in Moosomin.
The cause of all the chaos was a rain/hail/wind storm that hit Moosomin late Thursday afternoon, dropping several inches of rain in 45 minutes, leaving many streets and basements flooded.
For many, the flooding was worse than the flood on the July long weekend, with sewer backup affecting some and water pouring into basement windows and down stairs for others.
The Moosomin Family Practice Centre was closed Friday morning after rain water caused some damage to the building.
Mayor Larry Tomlinson said the situation was unprecedented.
“We have never before had to put the full emergency plan into effect,” he said. “We have people who have been displaced from their homes. They can go to the Baptist Church. There’s a place there to sleep, there are mats, they’re prepared to make food, the Co-op will get food to us at any hour. There were people out of their homes last night,” the mayor said Friday morning.
“I’ve seen cloudbursts before, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”
The town crew and fire department were out overnight Thursday trying to get water moving and respond to emergencies.
Councillor Lyndon Jacobs, who shares the job of Emergency Measures Co-ordinator with Mayor Tomlinson, said pumps and hoses are available free of charge from the town shed on Wright Road West for anyone who needs them.
The pumps have been provided by Saskatchewan Emergency Measures. “The provincial EMO brought a trailer load last night,” Jacobs said Friday morning. “They were at Round Lake, and when they heard about the rain here, they brought them into town. Anyone who needs it can just sign out a pump and hose.”
Jacobs said Thursday was a busy night. “I had about three hours of sleep,” he said Friday morning.
Water was still flowing into town over Cook Road Friday morning.
