Connaught experiences 1 in 200-year flood, limited evacuations may be needed

“This indicates significant flood magnitude, with peak flows anticipated within the next four to six days.”

The Armley area, known for being the location of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018, has seen the closure of Highways 35 and 335.

Connaught issued a warning mid-day on Monday to residents living along the Carrot River that they should be ready to leave.

“We are asking that only essential travel happens right now. There [are] a lot of washouts that happen quickly that we aren’t aware of. We’ve run out of road closure [signs] and barricades, so we’re trying to update our lists as best we can and move them around as soon as we can when the flooding has receded,” said CAO Jamie Orr.

If people do have to travel, they should be aware that water flow can change the road significantly.

“Just use caution, go slower, and the water may be deeper than you think it is, and we ask that people don’t try to go through water that’s running over a road because there could be a sinkhole underneath,” Orr said.

“We’re thinking that the peak will be later today, hopefully tomorrow at the latest, and then we can go back to a little more normal flows after that.”

A road disappeared under flood waters in the RM of Connaught. (Image Credit: Facebook/RM of Connaught)

People are advised to leave a vehicle in a flood safe area, make arrangements for pets and plan for long-term feeding of livestock, have a to-go bag ready with clothing, medication, essential documents and a copy of their home insurance.

They should also check if berms or sandbagging can help prevent flooding to their homes.

At a technical briefing at noon on Monday, the SPSA said it is prepared to help as needed, but municipalities have so far been able to manage.

The RM of Buckland north of Prince Albert is also experiencing heavy flooding and road washouts.

Buckland issued an evacuation alert for those in the West ½ of 32-49-27-W2, SE 16-49-27-W2 and SW 10-49-27-W2.

People do not have to leave yet, but should the evacuation happen, residents need to make sure that all family members/workers register at a designated reception area, gather essential items and help with disabled people and children.

The RM has issued a call for volunteers to help put up barricades and fill sandbags.

The RM of Buckland staff at work. The municipality has issued a call for volunteers to help fill sandbags to mitigate flood damage. (Image Credit: Facebook/RM of Buckland.)

Residents and drivers in and around Paddockwood are not fairing much better.

The municipality said this afternoon that they are managing about 120 washouts or incidents of water over roads.

“Please be aware that this figure is deceiving; in several locations, more than half-mile of roadway is completely submerged,” said the RM, which has also declared a state of emergency.

The Paddockwood grid road north of #355 will be closed today as water has covered the road and the culvert is washing out. The Whitestar Road is closed as well.

Like many highways and roads across the centre belt of Saskatchewan, the RM of Paddockwood is warning residents of road failures. (Image Credit: Facebook/RM of Paddockwood)

The RM of Invergordon south of Prince Albert re-issued a state of emergency on May 1 after multiple roadways were impacted.

The SPSA confirmed that they were called to the area on Sunday with a report of multiple people unable to leave their homes because of washouts.

So in the RM of Invergordon, we did have an emergency services officer out on site yesterday working with the community,” said Tyler Harrison, with the SPSA.

“There’s a number of people that were self-sufficient and able to maintain residence in their house, but there was a number of people that were removed from the community with a secondary access road.”

People are being advised that flood situations can change very quickly so they need to be prepared.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

by Susan McNeil

Connaught experiences 1 in 200-year flood, limited evacuations may be needed

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