Parts of Atlantic Canada are bracing for heavy rainfall this weekend as Cape Breton continues to clean up from a severe Thanksgiving weekend storm that flooded hundreds of homes.
Environment Canada has issued special weather statements about heavy rainfall in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. As much as 80 millimetres could come to parts of Nova Scotia, with the possibility of even more in some areas. The wind and heavy rain is expected to begin Friday night and intensify Saturday.
Emergency crews in parts of eastern Nova Scotia were racing Thursday night to clear debris from sewer lines and drainage sewage before the rain hits.
The threat of another major weather system looms as residents in Cape Breton continue to clean up from a previous storm.
As much as 200 millimetres of rain dumped on the island earlier this month in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, washing out roads, knocking down trees and flooding homes. The storm also caused major flood damage in parts of Newfoundland.
Cape Breton Mayor Cecil Clarke says he’s worried about what the weekend weather will bring to an already-battered community.
“Quite frankly, I’m petrified by … the potential of a major weather event, on top of what we’ve just experienced," Clarke told reporters. “Water courses have been changed in some places, foundations are comprised, so even modest rainfall could have a … much larger impact.”
Newfoundland’s Department of Transportation says there were 13 major routes affected, some of which suffered multiple washouts. Preliminary estimates are that road infrastructure repairs will cost more than $10 million.
A spokesman for the department said the weekend rainfall could set back repairs to roads and infrastructure damaged in the Thanksgiving weekend rainfall and flooding.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality says a help line has now identified 300 homes that need to be assessed for disaster relief. Eight teams of inspectors are checking the homes.
As of Thursday, 24 homes have been designated as no longer fit for habitation.
"We're looking in the area of 500 to 600 homes that were impacted," said Christina Lamey in an interview. In addition, a community centre and two parks are damaged. Some residents are being housed in the dormitories of the Canadian Coast Guard College on the outskirts of the city.
Newfoundland resident Lisa Abbott says the prospect of more heavy rains is a distressing reminder of the Thanksgiving Day deluge that wrecked her home and left her still trying to find replacement clothing for her sons.
"I'm very concerned ... We are displaced right now. There's so much damage and the water is already high. Will we be flooded again? This is what I'm wondering," said Abbott in a telephone interview near her home in Morrisville, on the province's south coast.
Just days ago, Abbott discovered that insurance won't cover the damage from two metres of water that swept down the main street after ponds on the surrounding hills overflowed and came gushing through her home.
She said she's hoping Canadians will remember the needs of East Coast flooding victims who have lost homes and possessions and consider making charitable donations to help with short-term needs.
The water that came through her newly-renovated home took everything in its path, including two trucks and a patio, while a shed smashed through a living area.
"I had to go to Newfoundland and Labrador housing units," she said, crying after a fruitless day of driving to a provincial politician's office to fill out disaster relief forms and finding nobody was there.
Samaritan’s Purse, a well-known international relief organization arrived in Sydney, N.S. this week and the group is in need of volunteers as cleanup work continues pile up.
“These people all need help as soon as possible to prevent further damage,” Samaritan’s Purse program manager Stephen Joudry told CTV Atlantic on Thursday.
However, the rain would be welcome in Saint John, N.B. where residents have been asked to conserve water since the summer. Saint John Water said, while they’d like to see some rain raise the water, if there is too much, too fast, it could result in a boil water order.
The province announced Thursday they will cover the cost of the $1,000-deductible for residents applying to the disaster assistance fund.
