Storm rips through Rhein

The Village of Rhein was hit Saturday by heavy rains, and what residents are terming a tornado.

The storm hit mid-afternoon Saturday, said Mayor James Herman Sunday as he drove through his community assessing damage.

"It was 2:30-3, sometime in there," he told Yorkton This Week. "It was raining and then got worse after that."

Herman was actually at family just outside the village when the storm hit. He said when electricity went out he headed home and came upon the devastation.

"Then I seen what happened in town here," he said.

The wind had uprooted trees, tore shingles and more off roofs and created general havoc across the village, said Herman.

Herman said he estimated about 10 homes had roof damage following the event, adding the fortunate thing is no one was hurt in the storm, or resulting damage.

One of the hardest hit was the village's one-time school which has been converted to a residence. Most of its roof was blown away.

And there are just hundreds and hundreds of downed trees," he said, adding while the east side of the village was hardest hit, "even the other side of town it uprooted big trees."

As of Sunday morning two residents remained without electricity, the service lines having to be cut due to damage, said Herman. He added SaskPower crews "worked until about four (a.m.) in the morning getting most of the power on."

Telephone services were also impacted by damage.

"They're (SaskTel) still working on telephones," said Herman.

While the tornado did most of the damage, Herman said rains, five to seven inches by some accounts, also led to water in some basements. He said in his own case there was water in his basement as a result of the power outage which prevented a pump from operating.

"There was some water in my basement until I got there with a generator to pump it," he said.

The Yorkton branch of the Canadian Red Cross were in the village Sunday morning offering clean-up kits for residents.

The village's sports ground was also hit hard with ball diamond dugouts and bleachers blown away.

Herman said the village faces "a major clean-up" as it has 100th anniversary celebrations set to go the July 20 weekend.

"We're supposed to have an alumni ball game too," he said, managing a smile. "We'll have to straighten some spots up out there."