bakSovrbar
Well-known member
Some of you may be familiar with Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, just north of the Montana border - we're known as Canada's first Cowtown and it's mostly ranching country in these parts.
On June 18, we experienced a 1-in-4000 year flood and it has absolutely devastated this town and many of the ranches in the area.
I'm a reporter and own a regional newspaper serving southeast Alberta and southwest Saskatchwan and live in Maple Creek. Anyway, here are some of the photos of my coverage from it. Since then, I have been govering the aftermath and trying to deal with government disaster programs, private insurance and everything else that has made so many people homeless or without heat right now - and we've already had frost a few times so the situation is getting pretty serious.
One of the many cars that were stranded as the waters came pouring down from the Cypress Hills to the south:
This is our old rescue truck, we lost it to the flood too. I am a member of the Maple Creek Fire and Rescue now and we just had it replaced, which is awesome as being so close to the Trans-Canada Highway, we attend a lot of wrecks.
Several people from in town and the rural areas were rescued by boat at some time during the day. This firefighter was going house to house to perform checks and to retrieve people's wallets and essential items.
This is me, photographing the disaster. I was there when the water was coming and was able to document every stage of it. Eventually, I had to carry my camera above my head and had to turn away from the worse of it as it was eight feet high. I was happy to be there, but I sure wish that I wasn't wearing cowboy boots. I was in the water for about eight hours and they were so swollen tight, I still don't have feeling on the front part of my right leg, up to my knee, lol.
I know many have had it far worse (New Orleans coming to mind!) but this area is usually in a drought and cactus grows in the school yard. It has really been a financial disaster and people that have worked hard all their lives are having to declare bankruptcy. I just wish I could do more to help.
On June 18, we experienced a 1-in-4000 year flood and it has absolutely devastated this town and many of the ranches in the area.
I'm a reporter and own a regional newspaper serving southeast Alberta and southwest Saskatchwan and live in Maple Creek. Anyway, here are some of the photos of my coverage from it. Since then, I have been govering the aftermath and trying to deal with government disaster programs, private insurance and everything else that has made so many people homeless or without heat right now - and we've already had frost a few times so the situation is getting pretty serious.
One of the many cars that were stranded as the waters came pouring down from the Cypress Hills to the south:
This is our old rescue truck, we lost it to the flood too. I am a member of the Maple Creek Fire and Rescue now and we just had it replaced, which is awesome as being so close to the Trans-Canada Highway, we attend a lot of wrecks.
Several people from in town and the rural areas were rescued by boat at some time during the day. This firefighter was going house to house to perform checks and to retrieve people's wallets and essential items.
This is me, photographing the disaster. I was there when the water was coming and was able to document every stage of it. Eventually, I had to carry my camera above my head and had to turn away from the worse of it as it was eight feet high. I was happy to be there, but I sure wish that I wasn't wearing cowboy boots. I was in the water for about eight hours and they were so swollen tight, I still don't have feeling on the front part of my right leg, up to my knee, lol.
I know many have had it far worse (New Orleans coming to mind!) but this area is usually in a drought and cactus grows in the school yard. It has really been a financial disaster and people that have worked hard all their lives are having to declare bankruptcy. I just wish I could do more to help.
