Saskatchewan residents are still on the move even though the storm system that caused all the problems has moved out.
Evacuation orders were lifted in Arborfield and the Shoal Lake First Nation, but on the nearby Red Earth First Nation residents were bracing for peak flows of the Carrot River which will hit as early as Friday night.
By late Friday afternoon, Chief and Council had elected to evacuate the community of its remaining residents, which amounts to about 800 people to centres in Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina.
Concerns had been mounting about maintaining access to the community.
Previously, 218 residents with health risks were evacuated from the community on Thursday and sent to an evacuation centre set up at a soccer stadium in Saskatoon.
Emergency Social Services is helping with the transport.
Earlier in the day, the province’s director of emergency management, Duane McKay said extra manpower and equipment is being brought in to help out.
“As a result of that flow going through that community we have dispatched additional resources in to support that community,” he said. “Sand bagging equipment, water barriers — that kind of equipment as well as additional crews and heavy vehicles.”
Crisis recovery starts in other communities
About 30 people with health risks were evacuated from Shoal Lake on Wednesday for the same reason. However, the access road has now been repaired and the residents have been given the all clear to head home.
This morning government relations minister, Jim Reiter visited Arborfield where he announced a provincial disaster assistance plan office would open on Sunday to provide support and advice to residents who have been affected by the recent flash floods.
He says it was difficult to look at all the damage but he was also encouraged to see the community pull together. Reiter says the whole town came to together to make sure the wedding plans of a young couple would not be ruined by the floods.
“I think it’s just another great example of small town Saskatchewan pitching in and helping each other out,” he said.
The wedding will be held Saturday in the community hall. On Sunday the government will set up its disaster assistance plan office in the hall so it can start helping people with uninsurable losses.
The wild weather began on Sunday with flash floods in Estevan Arborfield and Carrot River.
Clean up operations are now well underway, but it will take a while to get an estimate of damage which is expected to run into the millions.
To make a bad situation worse, standard home insurance policies don’t cover over land flooding. Even sewer back up is generally not covered unless you specifically asked for it.
The only recourse for many will be whatever payout they can get through the disaster assistance program.