Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 9, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba a4 Winnipeg free press wednesday August 9, 2006 Tornado aftermath Gull Lake residents begin Salvage work insurance disaster Relief a concern by Mia Rabson and Carol Sanders g Ull Lake ? Linda Bodlein and Linda Taylor pick through the broken pieces of what used to be their summer vacation Home alternately giggling at the treasures they uncover intact and shedding tears for the loss of a Good Friend. For Bodlein and Taylor and dozens of others whose Homes and summer retreats were in the path of a Tornado summer ended saturday night. Their 24-foot trailer an addition of the same size and two Sheds were completely destroyed saturday when the Tornado ripped through the area shortly after 5 . Most of their trailer now lies in a Bro Ken mess a few metres North of where it used to sit but some parts including one entire Wall blew More than a Kilometre Down the Road. The two women Are collecting what they can Salvage from the site before looters show up. At one Point after glimpsing the Bro Ken pieces of her treasured Telescope scattered on the soil Bodlein threw her hands up in the air and took a deep breath to prevent the tears from com ing. We re alive she said softly. We re and they know How Lucky they Are As their Good Friend and Neighbour Elfrieda Visser 64, was killed in the storm. Bodlein and Taylor were the last to see her alive just about 15 minutes before the Tornado hit. They were up the Road serving As care takers at the Canadian polish athletic club when Visser and her husband their Neighbours from the Gull Lake Camp ground stopped by with fresh cinnamon buns to share. Around 5 ., Visser and her husband left to walk Home less than a Kilometre Down the Road. It looked like it was going to rain and they wanted to make it Home before the storm. The Tornado nobody saw coming hit while they were still walking killing her and seriously injuring her husband. He remains in Hospital in stable condition. Bodlein can to hold Back the tears when describing her Friend. If Only id made her stay with us Bodlein says. She was a real the Tornado that struck the Gull Lake area saturday had wind speeds of Between 181 pm a to 252 pm hand was classified it As an f2 or considerable Tornado by environment Canada. The weather office also received reports of four other tornadoes spawned by the same system of thunderstorms that extended from the Northern Interlake area southward to Minnesota. Tornado sightings were reported South of Jack head North East of Petersfield Patricia Beach and North of Mcarthur to Bird River. The Campground on the shores of Gull Lake about 80 Kilometres Northeast of Winnipeg teemed with life yesterday As the campers and cottagers picked through what they have left. Susan Osadczuk a trailer Lay in a Heap of twisted Metal and splintered Wood next to an overturned outboard boat still attached to its trailer. Just a few months ago Osadczuk a father died and left the trailer to her in his will. Now she a not sure whether she a going to rebuild or pack it in. She in to sure what kind of insurance her father had on the place because those papers Are still tied up in the will and her fathers lawyer is out of town on vacation. Jan Walker and Larry Zakaluk Are one of a handful of permanent residents in Gull Lake and will be eligible for disaster assistance for anything that in to Eli Gible for insurance. The Federal provincial program Cov ers Only uninsurable and primary Busi Nesses and residences. For Zakaluk a brother Greg the Dis Aster program shortcomings Arent his main beef ? its insurance issues. Greg a cottage has been condemned his truck damaged and his fishing boat which had been parked next to the cottage was picked up in the storm and blown so far away nobody has yet been Able to find it. He has insurance for All of it but it will Cost him at least $3,000 in deductibles to make All the claims and his premiums will Likely go up. Zakaluk said because everything was destroyed in the same natural disaster he should to have to pay More than one deductible. Intergovernmental affairs minister Scott Smith touring the devastated site yesterday said he a look into that Issue when Zakaluk confronted him on the Edge of his property. You did to think of that problem last week and neither did i said Smith. His presence appeared unwelcome to Many who either ignored him or in the Case of Jan Walker tried to refuse to shake his hand. After discussing the problem of the number of deductibles they la have to pay Smith had to physically take her hand out of her pocket to shake it. Smith then proceeded to tour the rest of the site with agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuk and area Reeves and disaster personnel. After the confrontation with Walker and Zakaluk Smith stopped Only to speak with one couple whose trailer sustained minimal dam age from a fallen tree walking right past others who stood in front of completely demolished properties without speak ing to them. . ;