Rising waters and widespread flooding in Cypress County forced officials
to close the Trans Canada Highway from the Saskatchewan border to east of
Dunmore and emergency response crews were working to evacuate area
residents from their homes, with boats and helicopters being the only
means of access to many properties.
Driving east along the Trans Canada Highway and closer to the junction of
Highway 41 South, the extent of the flooding became increasingly apparent.
Rapidly flowing water was covering what would be lush fields and farm
yards were becoming submerged.
A roadblock was initially set up at the junction as fears of bridges that
ran over the creek would collapse. Still, after I indicated who I was, I
was allowed through to talk to the RCMP officers. Sgt. Duncan MacInnis of
the Redcliff RCMP Traffic Services offered to take to an area where some
farms were completely submerged.
Through the rain that was still heavily falling in the area, we traveled
down Highway 41 South and at the top of the nearest hill, was a City of
Medicine Hat bus, an ambulance and members of the Irvine volunteer fire
department, who were posted to the site that was where rescued area
residents were being taken.
Farther down the highway is Don Wong's Saskatoon farm, which is situated
in the bottom of a deep coulee, with a creek flowing through it. The
creek, which would normally be a thing of peace and serenity, had turned
into a violent, destructive wall of water, completely submerging Wong's
-property, as well as the farm across the highway.
An ambulance with lights blaring, rushed down the highway and Sgt.
MacInnis informed me that a call had come in about a car that had gone off
the road on Township Road 104. He also informed me that the people who
were in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park had been evacuated and
transported to safety along the Eagle Butte Road.
As we turned out and headed north back to the Trans Canada Highway, we
stopped at the top of the hill and watched as our route back to the
highway was being washed away.
Knowing that portions south of us, and now north as well, were washed out,
we were left sitting there,watching the water get closer to the front of
the police cruiser.
A call to the emergency crews was made and we were able to access one
muddy grid road to get back out and even there, the water was rapidly
rising.
It was also during this time, at 10:01 a.m. that a state of emergency was
declared in Cypress County and the road blocks moved back to east of
Dunmore as the rising flood waters made their way further west.
Sgt. McInnis got me back to my car which was parked along the closed Trans
Canada Highway just in time , it seems; as the water was now up to my
tires on the passenger side.
It is amazing how quickly things can go from being safe to dangerous. It
took a matter of minutes for some areas to cumpletely flood, and a
reminder to us, that Mother Nature will always have control.