Some Saskatchewan communities are beginning to recover from flooding while others are still waiting to respond, emergency management personnel said today.
Fifty-five municipalities have now applied for designation under the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program, up from 48 yesterday. Six of the applications have already been approved and 11 are in the approval process.
Colin King, deputy commissioner of emergency management, said communities northwest of Saskatoon along Highway 16 are starting to clean up or are holding stable. Some in north central areas, such as the Rural Municipality of Corman Park, are still seeing significant flooding, and others along the Qu’Appelle lakes chain are still waiting for the peaks.
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The declaration of emergency in the RM of Wilton has expired, and King said officials don’t expect it will be renewed.
A detour remains in place for light east-bound traffic at Radisson. An Aqua Dam is in use and holding back the water, but there is still too much for lighter vehicles to navigate.
King noted that the multiple hazard threat is still in place across the province. Yesterday there was a large grass fire on Cowessess First Nation, which is also under a flood alert. The fire was contained and is being monitored today.
Emergency social services provincial co-ordinator Deanna Wysoskey said 40 people have sought assistance after being forced from their homes, mostly due to access issues and home damage.
These include 25 from Muscowpetung First Nation, six from Aberdeen, four from Poundmaker First Nation, three from Maidstone and one each from Onion Lake and the RM of Fish Creek.
There could be others who are out of their homes, she said, but they haven’t asked for government help.
