At noon on Canada Day, as people celebrated in the sun and heat, nobody could predict that less than five hours later the city would be hit by a severe storm. The storm, which brought with it 71 mm of rain and high winds according to Environment Canada, knocked out power, toppled trees and flooded homes and basements throughout the city.
While the storm wreaked havoc on the entire city, some areas were harder hit than others. The area between Broadway and Independent St. from Laurier Ave. to Assinaboia Ave. has been barricaded as it was one of the areas most affected by flooding.
One business affected was Dairy Queen on Broadway, situated in one of the hardest hit areas. Lori Butchko, who owns the store with husband Mark, says that when the storm started they didn't expect it to become as bad as it was.
"First the power went out for a while, and then we decided to close the store. The rain just kept coming, and eventually you couldn't open the side doors or the back doors, because the water was rushing in through the doors and down into the basement," Butchko says
The Butchkos would like to rebuild, but say that what happens next depends on what happens with insurance and how the restaurant is assessed, so they currently do not know what the next step will be. It is expected that it will be a minimum of six months before the business could re-open, as everything needs to be replaced.
"I want to thank all of our friends and our workers for coming out and everybody offering us a hand wherever needed," Butchko says.
While his home was not as affected by flood waters, Jim Appel saw heavy winds wreak havoc on his property, with large trees being toppled in both the front and back yards, with one completely blocking Sixth Ave. North.
"For the first time ever, I got scared of a storm, and I headed down to the basement... This tree has been here forever, it has to be about 70 years old, and it nearly ripped it out of the ground, it was twisted off at ground level," Appel says.
Appel is grateful that the trees did not do much damage to the house itself, and that nobody got hurt as they fell.
In the first night of the flood, over 70 people were evacuated from their homes by the RCMP using canoes. The number has climbed since, with approximately 150 people being housed temporarily and over 800 people presenting themselves at the Kinsmen Arena service centre. Over 1,000 insurance claims have been filed in the days since. Mayor James Wilson says that temporary housing and support will be in place as people come forward.
"Nobody is going to be abandoned in this situation," Wilson says.
In the days following, the main concern for most people is the potential for mold and other disease to develop in homes which have had excess water.
"People really need to consider the situation within their own homes. You may have pumped it out, you may have removed the debris, but please be conscientious of still being in that house with whatever toxic odors exist," Wilson says.
Mieka Torgrimson, acting director of the Saskatchewan Emer-gency Management Orga-n-ization, notes that provincial assistance for areas where insurance does not cover is available through Provincial Disaster Assistance Program. Up to $160,000 is available for homeowners to help restore their homes to livable conditions.
"For homeowners, we will help with cleanup, we will help with any essential items that were lost, any essential clothing for work, and any vocational needs. Also, for homeowners if they had finished basements they are eligible to clean out and restore their basement to a pre-disaster condition. For tenants, they are eligible for essential belongings and any costs or time they spent cleaning up. It is the owner's responsibility for anything structural, drywall, or things like that, that is not the tenant's responsibility,"
People who need to apply for insurance or disaster assistance are encouraged to clean out their homes for health reasons, Torgrimson says, though they should remember to document the materials discarded with photos and keep track of time spent on cleanup. To apply for the program, people need to call 783-0484.
The flood central service centre has been established at the Kinsmen Arena. Displaced residents are encouraged to go to the arena in order to get access to housing and information. Anyone who needs to get in touch with Emergency Social Services should call 783-0485.
The city is also looking for volunteers to help with cleanup, especially when it comes to cleaning out basements and debris. People willing to volunteer, or people who need assistance, are encouraged to call 783-0490. More information and numbers are available at www.yorkton.ca.
Benefit Concert planned
Musicians from Saskatchewan are coming together for a special concert on Monday, July 19 at Third Avenue United Church in Saskatoon. Working with the Saskatchewan Division of the Canadian Red Cross, all proceeds will go to the communities across the province - including Yorkton - that have been affected by the floods.
The night will feature Saskatchewan-favourites Andrea Menard and Jay Semko from The Northern Pikes, as well as Eileen Laverty, Jeffery Straker, Codie Prevost, Carrie Catherine and Stephen Maguire. Doors open at 7 p.m., showtime is 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for the concert are $20 for adults and $10 for children (12 & under). Available at McNally Robinson or online at: Picatic.com/ticket/floodreliefconcert.
