Community members band together after days without power in southwest Sask.
Moreen Mugerwa | CBC News | Posted: April 8, 2022 2:22 AM | Last Updated: April 8, 2022
Crews are working to restore power to residents by the weekend
Community members are coming together to help each other after a storm that ripped through southern Saskatchewan Tuesday.
Numerous power outages were reported, and some southwestern communities, including areas south of Maple Creek such as Nekaneet First Nation and Cypress Hills, aren't expect to have power until later Friday night, according to SaskPower.
Nekaneet First Nation Chief Alvin Francis drove all the way to Saskatoon — a more than 400-kilometre trip — to buy generators on Wednesday to make sure the community is prepared.
"I still think it's going to be at least two to three more days for my First Nation to have power," said Chief Francis.
Each generator cost $2,000, and the community bought more than five. The chief said he is thinking ahead about planning to make sure they have more resources in the future.
"Weather patterns have been changing and we're going to have to realize that, and we're going to have to get the resources to localize things," he said.
Nekaneet First Nation was one of the communities badly affected by the storm and is currently under a state of emergency.
Chief Francis says the roads are a mess and community members will have to be patient in order to make things work.
Nekaneet First Nation was dealing with a water leak due to poor infrastructure prior to the storm and it cannot be fixed because of storm damage.
"We've been actually working 15-hour days these past couple of days, right from morning till early morning again," said Nekaneet Coun. Shauna Buffalocalf.
She has lived in the community all of her life and says she has never experienced a storm like this.
Many elders and some children have been moved to hotels in Medicine Hat until the power is restored.
Some residents in Maple Creek and surrounding areas had their power restored Wednesday, and efforts were continuing throughout Thursday, SaskPower said.
Outages may last beyond Friday or even Saturday because of the damage, the power company says.
Volunteers with the Red Cross delivered 500 blankets and over 1,100 litres of drinking water in the community.