Intense hail clogged drainage systems, leading to extensive flooding in North Battleford. (CBC)

Officials in North Battleford, Sask., say a total of 220 homes were damaged by flooding from a torrential downpour of hail and rain Thursday.

The intense storm dumped an estimated 50 to 75 millimetres of precipitation on the city in less than an hour, quickly overwhelming the city's sewer systems.

Officials said Saturday that the prolonged hail, which rained down for some 40 minutes, clogged drains and likely led to more flooding than would have taken place if the storm had only been rainwater.

Most of the damaged homes are east of the city's downtown core.

A state of emergency has been in effect since Thursday afternoon.

"We're really down to trying to assess the impact in the community," Duane McKay, the province's fire commissioner and director of public safety, said Saturday.

McKay added that a task force has been going door-to-door to check up on damage.

An official from the provincial Ministry of Social Services said nine families, or 37 people, were forced from their homes because of flooding and have been put up in hotels.

Other people affected by flooding were able to find a place on their own, or were able to stay in their homes.

Dumpsters to collect mess

Large dumpsters have been placed in different parts of the city to collect storm-damaged items for the local waste site. Officials said the waste facility would be open extra hours and on Sundays for the next three weeks.

A relief and recovery centre in the Don Ross Centre on 99th Street is also open daily to provide information and services for flood victims.

McKay said provincial officials are there to provide information and forms on how to apply for disaster assistance.

The city added that its water systems are operating normally and pointed out that the flooding never affected the quality of the drinking water.

North Battleford is a city of 13,000 about 140 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon.