Advertisement

Swift Current, Sask. hit by sudden heavy rain storm, flooding

Click to play video: 'Swift Current, Sask. hit by sudden heavy rain storm, flooding'
Swift Current, Sask. hit by sudden heavy rain storm, flooding
WATCH: Swift Current was hoping for rain, but two-to-three inches came pouring down in about an hour on Tuesday – Jun 19, 2019

People in a small southwestern Saskatchewan city are cleaning up after a sudden dump of rain caused parts of the downtown to be flooded.

It’s been dry in Swift Current for months, but that all changed when the skies opened up on Tuesday afternoon.

Everett Hindley, the legislature member for the area, says the rain came down hard and heavy and lasted for more than an hour.

Resident Yvonne Haubrich says the water in some places was up to people’s waists and her car was flooded.

Story continues below advertisement

Swift Current Mayor Denis Perrault says the rain was localized and some people a few kilometres north of the city didn’t see a drop.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Perrault says flooding was mostly in the downtown area and there was some damage to buildings, but it is too early to say how much.

“Our storm sewers definitely were taxed to the limit,” Perrault told radio station CJME.

“I don’t think there’s a storm sewer built that can handle that much rain in such a short period of time.”

Environment Canada estimates the city got 50 millimetres of rain in the short deluge.

And that might not be the end for Swift Current.

The forecast calls for a chance of thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Sponsored content

AdChoices