White Butte RCMP say no officers were injured during the storm with the road closure and traffic backup on Highway 1 between Regina and Moose Jaw today (Wed). Detachment Commander, Staff Sergeant Jason Sauve, says, “We want to thank our partners for their shared response during a very snowy and windy day on the open prairies. Officers on scene experienced reduced visibility and a patient queue of motorists. Restrictions were lifted late this afternoon.
At one point, Sauve says, there was a five kilometre line of vehicles in both eastbound lanes at a stand still. A number of vehicles are still in the ditch or the shoulder of the highway and will be removed in the coming days by their owners. RCMP remind drivers to slow down and adjust your driving to the conditions of the road, and check the Highway Hotline frequently for changing weather conditions.
Saskatchewan RCMP officers have responded to a large number of weather-related calls over the two days of the storm, with every kind of winter condition including heavy snow, freezing rain and high winds. RCMP report that from midnight on Tuesday to 9 Wednesday morning, the Communication Centre dispatched officers to 79 accidents, and 28 reports of traffic hazards including vehicles that were stuck or abandoned.
Officers may have also responded to weather-related calls for service reported directly to their detachments, or that were discovered during regular patrols, which aren’t reflected in these numbers. Supt. Grant St. Germaine, Officer in Charge of Saskatchewan RCMP’s Traffic Services says officers throughout the province continue to respond to reports of accidents today (Wed), so stay home if travel is not recommended.
There are still a few communities without SaskTel service, until back-up battery power can be recharged or commercial power is restored. As of 4 this afternoon (Wed), phone service is down in Pathlow, which is south of Melfort, wireless service is down at Fort A La Corne and both those services along with the internet are down at Yellow Creek. SaskTel says crews continue to work to restore services in all communities as it is safe to do so. Earlier today, there were outages as well in Englefeld, Leroy, Middle Lake, Quill Lake, Watson and Meskanaw.
