By Leah Murray and Charles Lefebvre

City declares state of emergency due to wind storm

Oct 17, 2017 | 11:02 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The City of Medicine Hat has declared a local state of emergency after a powerful wind storm ripped through the city Tuesday night.

At one point there was sustained wind of 93 kilometres per hour. In a wind warning issued earlier this week, Environment Canada said the gusts could reach as high as 110 km/hour.

It’s resulted in a chaotic night for first responders and city utility crews.

The damage throughout the city is extensive. Many homes have had shingles or gutters ripped off. Many signs throughout the city shredded or knocked over in the wind.

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Firefighters have been called to several locations responding to fires sparked by snapped power lines, trees falling across roads and other emergencies.

Police were so inundated with calls they tweeted out to the public that some 911 calls may have had to be re-routed to supporting agencies.

Trees throughout the city toppled, at least one landed on a house in the Ross Glen area.

The owner of the property where the trees once stood said his neighbour wasn’t home when one landed on the house next door. Luckily, no one was hurt.

There were at least two trees that fell onto the road near the corner of Division Avenue and 11th Street Northwest blocking traffic. Police also had to block off 12th Street Northwest due to a fallen tree.

Another homeowner saw three trees and a streetlight by his home topple, ripping up his fence and landing just feet away from his vehicle.

The city said crews are working to keep roads free of debris, however, roadways and pedestrian walkways may be blocked by branches and other hazards. Where debris is not being immediately removed, barricades are being erected. Drivers are being asked to drive with caution.

Power is still out to several areas in Medicine Hat and Redcliff. By 10:30 P.M., 8,200 homes and businesses were without power as city crews work to find and fix all the issues affecting power delivery. Areas affected include Crescent Heights, Redcliff, Dunmore, Echo Dale, Brier Park, and the areas near the airport. 

The city said staff will continue to work throughout the night to get power back on to all residents in Medicine Hat and surrounding areas. Occasional outages may occur while crews are working to restore power.