Residents distraught over flooded homes
It’s an emotionally trying time for residents of northeastern Saskatchewan cleaning up after severe flooding in the region.
The town of Arborfield was hit particularly hard by the flooding and, although cleanup efforts are going well, people are hurting as their homes are gutted, said town Councillor Ashley Gray.
“I think everyone’s trying to hide their emotions,” he said. “We’re trying to make the absolute best out of a bad circumstance.”
Elderly people are particularly distraught, seeing their destroyed belongings and keepsakes being dragged out of their longtime homes, he said, noting that being physically unable to help has only added to their stress. “They’d probably be better off if they just weren’t there seeing it,” he said.
The townspeople have removed roughly 60 per cent of the destroyed property from affected homes and flood-damage crews are beginning to sanitize some basements, but there is still a lot of work to do, Gray said.
Jim Reiter, the provincial minister responsible for emergency management, and Carrot River MLA Fred Bradshaw toured Arborfield Friday and they assured residents the government would do everything it could to help, Gray said.
Reiter reiterated that commitment in an interview. “It’s unfortunate,” he added, “but these last few years, between floods and fires, our folks have gotten very good at emergency response.”
Initial government response was well executed, Gray said.
Both Reiter and Bradshaw noted that while it was difficult to witness the destruction, the continued spirit of co-operation between local residents and volunteers was heartwarming.
The provincial government announced that a Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) centre will be opened at the Arborfield Community Hall on Sunday. It will offer advice to people in the area who need to file claims for flood damage not covered by private insurance, Grant Hilsenteger, executive director of government relations, told reporters.
Financial assistance for flood victims is a possibility following claims and assessment processes, Hilsenteger said.
Four communities — the towns of Carrot River and Arborfield, the Rural Municipality of Arborfield and the Red Earth Cree Nation — were under states of emergency Friday. The community of Shoal Lake Cree Nation has lifted its state of emergency.