ROCHE PERCEE, Sask. — The mayor of a Saskatchewan village that’s been almost empty for a week due to flooding says he wishes more had been done to protect homes from looters.
Reg Jahn of Roche Percee says several empty homes have been hit, and that his own home has been robbed twice.
He says the first time, thieves stole jewelry and hunting knives.
When the water receded a bit, he says they came back a second time for his big-screen TV.
Saskatchewan’s commissioner of emergency management and fire safety said on Saturday that he hadn’t heard any reports of looting in the community, but that he’d forward the concerns to the RCMP.
Duane McKay added that the news was surprising, given that most of Roche Percee is under water and there isn’t any access to the village.
Roche Percee’s approximately 160 residents had to leave last weekend when water from the swollen Souris River overwhelmed a dike and flooded many homes and businesses.
“Roche Percee is completely submerged by water so I’m not sure what looting could be taking place there,” McKay said.
“We haven’t had any reports.”
Jahn’s claims of looting have been broadcast by several media outlets since Thursday, but Jahn says he’s not surprised McKay was unaware of them.
“He’s probably like me. I’ve been on the radio, but I haven’t had time to listen to the radio,” said Jahn.
Jahn said he’s been talking with RCMP and hopes patrols will be in place to protect the village Saturday evening.
The surge in the Souris occurred after the province’s watershed authority was forced to release a buildup of water in the reservoirs of the Boundary and Rafferty dams.
Dale Hjertaas of the authority said Saturday that outflow at the Boundary Dam has been reduced, and that the flow at the Rafferty Dam is being held steady.
Further north on the Qu’Appelle chain of lakes, the province says fears of another wave of floods appears to be subsiding along with the current water levels.
The area was hit particularly hard earlier this year by floods caused by ice jams and spring runoff, and some people had reportedly removed sandbags that were in place to protect their properties.
Flows are expected to peak Saturday on the North Saskatchewan River at Prince Albert from rain that hit Alberta last week. Cumberland Lake is expected to continue to rise until July 1, but the province believes the community of Cumberland Lake is well prepared for the peak level.
More than 30 communities in Saskatchewan are under local states of emergency.