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More Sask. Communities Declare States of Emergency As Flood Waters Rise

Posted on: Sunday, 22 April 2007, 19:09 CDT

By JENNIFER GRAHAM

SASKATOON (CP) - With floodwaters rising in lakes and rivers in many areas east and north of Saskatoon, four more communities and rural areas have declared states of emergency, provincial government officials said Saturday.

A total of 15 communities around the province are in emergency situations, which give them more powers to restrict access to roads and to take action to preserve roads and bridges, said Colin King, a spokesman for the provincial government's Public Safety Department.

"It also sends a message that this is a very serious situation," he said.

The community of Watson, the Rural Municipality of Lakeside, and the Rural Municipality of Porcupine east of Saskatoon are among the latest communities to declare states of emergency.

The Rural Municipality of Torch River northeast of Saskatoon has also joined the list.

Eight other communities who haven't declared states of emergency, but who have had some localized flooding, are also being watched closely, King said.

Over 600 people evacuated Friday from the Red Earth First Nation about 270 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon huddled in hotels in Saskatoon and Prince Albert and in a community centre in Saskatoon, where they bedded down on cots and were served food and hot coffee.

As Hendrick Head crammed into a Saskatoon hotel room with his wife and four children, his thoughts were focused on what was happening at home on the Red Earth First Nation.

"It's kind of frustrating right now, not knowing when we can go back," he said.

"I guess that's mainly what I want to hear and what my wife and kids want to hear is when we can go back."

Head is worried about his home, because he didn't get a chance to sandbag it when he left, and doesn't know whether water has seeped inside.

But Richard Kent, a spokesman for the Prince Albert Grand Counsel, had some good news for residents of the reserve about their homes.

About 21 homes have had some water seeping into their basements and crawl spaces in the northern part of the large aboriginal community, but sump pumps are pumping water out as soon as it seeps into the affected homes.

But a dike built around the community is leaking in spots.

"In some places they're getting close to not being able to contain the water, but they're being immediately identified and sandbagged," Kent said.

While waters there are expected to peak sometime this weekend, Kent said they're not sure when the people of the reserve will be given the all-clear to go home.

Cabin owners in east-central and northwestern areas of Saskatchewan have also been told to get their valueables out as lake levels in those areas rise.

Forty-eight cabins on Waldsea Lake have had some water damage from rising lake levels.

An FM radio frequency has been set up for residents of Fishing Lake so that residents and emergency crews can receive the latest information on flooding there.

About 300 cabins there are threatened by flooding and residents are being encouraged to salvage their possessions and leave the area in case of flooding.

Source: Canadian Press

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