Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) has revealed that there have been nearly 2,200 claims reported so far related to the recent storms that hit the province.
“It’s entirely possible that more claims will come in as people examine their property and understand that they may have enough damage to warrant making a claim with SGI,” said SGI media relations manager Tyler McMurchy.
Two storms recently passed through Saskatchewan, one on July 22 and another on July 27. SGI noted that of the 2,190 claims filed in the province, 562 were for vehicles, and 628 were for property damage.
“The vast majority of that was caused as a result of damage resulting from hail. On Thursday July 22, in the Foam Lake area we saw a large number of hail losses. We saw some golf ball-sized hail, and maybe in some places a little bigger than that,” explained McMurchy.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) meteorologist Kyle Fougere told CTV News that the province saw a low-pressure system on July 22, which caused the storms.
“We saw some pretty wide-spread thunderstorms on that day. There were widespread wind reports extending all the way from Lloydminster, which recorded 115 kilometres an hour, down to Regina which had 140 kilometre-an-hour gusts, and all the way up to Saskatoon with 96 kilometres per hour,” Fougere said.
“There was also localized flooding in Regina, and some very large hail was reported. About three hours to the east of Saskatoon in a place called Okla Saskatchewan, there was tennis ball hail, which is 6.5cm hail reported.”
Another storm struck the province on July 27, which caused more hail and wind.
“Kamsack Beach reported golf ball hail, and there was quite a bit of damage out of Pelly Saskatchewan with ping pong-sized hail that shattered windows and created a lot of damage in the area,” the meteorologist said.
