Sask. town gets help from province after destructive weekend storm
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has stepped up to help Carrot River after a destructive storm tore through the community on Sunday evening.
On Tuesday, the SPSA sent a team of firefighters and two members of its emergency response team to the community, according to a news release from the provincial disaster management organization. The crew will help remove debris and offer additional support, as required.
Environment Canada said the Carrot River was hit by a strong wind on Sunday night and was investigating whether it was a tornado.
"What happened in Carrot River was some kind of strong wind event. It has yet to be determined if it was a tornado," meteorologist Terri Lang told CTV News on Monday.
"Certain wind strength will cause certain damage. So you have to look at the pattern of the damage to assess whether it was a tornado, or whether it was a plough wind or straight-line winds."
The storm knocked out power in the area. About 800 homes were without power on Monday afternoon, according to SaskPower. Crews were on the scene, working to clear trees interfering with power lines.
On Monday, the Carrot River town council declared a state of emergency and activated an emergency operations centre.
“By declaring a state of emergency our community will have access to the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program. More information and support will come on this for those who experienced damage to property,” a post from the town on Facebook reads.
The community urged the residents to document damage and log hours of work, including equipment.
In an updated post on Tuesday afternoon, the community said the cleanup continued and crews had begun tree removal — fallen and unsafe trees — on municipal property. It asked the residents to avoid the areas for safety.
SPSA said the agency's mobile command post is also being deployed to the community and will act as a staging area for the response.
The mobile command post is equipped with multiple tools and resources to help the team during an incident, including radio communications, weather forecasting equipment, and various video devices, SPSA said.
The SPSA says it’s ready and able to provide other support to Carrot River as needs arise.
–With files from Laura Woodward
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Biden and Harris call the Israeli strike killing Hezbollah’s Nasrallah a 'measure of justice'
The Israeli strike that killed Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah was a 'measure of justice' for victims of a four-decade 'reign of terror,' U.S. President Joe Biden said Saturday.
SpaceX launches rescue mission for 2 NASA astronauts who are stuck in space until next year
SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station on Saturday, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year.
LGBTQ2S+ minister Pascale St-Onge to make history with parental leave
Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge is set to make history by becoming the first openly lesbian cabinet minister to take parental leave when her wife gives birth in the coming weeks.
At least 52 dead and millions without power after Helene's deadly march across southeastern U.S.
Hurricane Helene caused at least 52 deaths and billions of dollars of destruction across a wide swath of the southeastern U.S. as it raced through, and more than three million customers went into the weekend without any power and for some a continued threat of floods.
United States takes 8-6 overall lead at Presidents Cup with 3-1 third round
The United States has recaptured the lead at the Presidents Cup after a 3-1 third round of four-ball play at Royal Montreal Golf Club.
They hit it off on vacation but then he went silent. So she decided to pick up the phone
When a few weeks passed and Nana Prempeh still hadn’t heard from the guy she met on vacation, she turned to her friends for advice.
What is open and closed this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
This Monday, Sept. 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR), a federal statutory holiday and day of remembrance for the Indigenous children who never came home from Canadian residential schools, as well as those who survived them.
Sima Sistani, who embraced Ozempic, is out as CEO of WeightWatchers
WeightWatchers CEO Sima Sistani, who pushed the company into embracing weight-loss drugs, is leaving the position after a two-and-a-half year stint.
Scientists discover hidden ancient forest on treeless island
Trees haven't grown on the Falkland Islands for thousands of years. But tree trunks and branches preserved in peat suggest the islands were once home to a forest.