Calgary's Floods Were So Intense This Weekend Drivers Were Rescued By Raft (PHOTOS)
Wild weather has hit the prairies. Flooding in one Albertan city got so bad on Saturday, June 13, that a major road turned into a river. So many cars got stranded on Calgary's flooded streets that rescue rafts had to sail through and save drivers. The next day, even after the rain had slowed, the streets were still clogged with rain and cars.
On Saturday evening, June 13, parts of north and northeast Calgary sunk underwater as rain from severe storms hammered down. Hail the size of golf balls smashed down on homes, cars, and windows, destroying property.
The Deerfoot Trail in particular was hard hit by flooding. Videos and photos shared on social media showed the once-popular road transformed into a lake, with cars stranded and partially submerged.
Calgary Fire Department battalion chief Paul Frederick told Narcity that they used several inflatable rafts to help rescue stranded drivers.
"Between six o'clock last night and midnight we did 158 water-related calls," he said. They also performed 23 "water-rescue events" and reported that a house was struck by lightning.
The yellow rafts were chosen, he said, because the water was too shallow to use their big rescue boat.
On Twitter, one video showed the road-turned-river with a yellow raft drifting up toward a half-submerged vehicle. Two people were riding it, decked out with red helmets and uniforms.
Other videos surfaced of people canoeing through the streets. Frederick said these weren't members of the fire department — they were just people going for a paddle.
On Sunday, June 14, the day after the floods, Calgary police tweeted that tons of cars were left stranded by the water and blocking roads. They're working with towtrucks to move the vehicles.
Like a scene straight out of an apocalypse movie, Environment Canada also confirmed that tornadoes formed and touched down in other areas of the province as well.
Now that the storm's mostly blown over, the city is left to mop up the streets. But for at least a little while, for better or worse, parts of the city transformed into a chilly Venice, boats and all.