Cleanup underway in Swift Current after heavy rain, flooding

As Swift Current tries to clean up and dry out from heavy rains and flash flooding on Tuesday evening, SGI says it’s starting to process some of the insurance claims being filed by residents and business owners there.

Over the course of about an hour, heavy localized showers dumped large amounts of water on the city.

Environment Canada meteorologist Sara Hoffman said she had reports of 35.3 millimetres of rain. But a business on the west side of the city, Hawks Argo, was reporting that its rain gauge was showing about 63.5 millimetres of rain.

Hoffman said the heavy rains came from a narrow but concentrated line of thunderstorms that started in eastern Alberta and moved into Saskatchewan.

By early Wednesday afternoon, Environment Canada had placed Swift Current and the southwest corner of the province under severe thunderstorm warnings and watches.

SGI’s claims centre in Swift Current even had some water damage, as the flooding hit its Third Avenue NW building, according to spokesman Tyler McMurchy.

He said operations at the centre would be running as per normal, except that driver’s licence services wouldn’t be available.

McMurchy didn’t know how extensive the water damage was to the building.

Across the street, the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s E.I. Wood Building had to be closed down on Wednesday due to the flooding.

“All Saskatchewan Health Authority programs, services, and client appointments are unavailable at this location on Wednesday, June 19. There is a possibility that the disruption to services will last longer than today,” a media release from the health authority said.

It said all appointments will be rescheduled, noting: “One of our staff members will be in contact with all clients affected to reschedule.”

In an emailed media release, McMurchy reminded Swift Current residents to report their auto or home insurance claims by one of four ways: Reporting directly to an insurance broker; filing a claim online on SGI’s website; calling the Crown corporation’s toll-free business-hour phone number 1-844-855-2744; or, calling its after-hours number, 1-800-647-6448.

Hoffman said Environment Canada is predicting more rain for Swift Current on Wednesday evening, into the night and for Thursday morning.

She said that for Regina, the city is only expected to get between two and four millimetres of rain on Wednesday.

The Thursday forecast for Regina shows a 60-per-cent chance of showers.