Workers instigated in eastern Nova Scotia and southwestern Newfoundland on Thursday to repair roads, bridges and culverts washed away by heavy rains that hit parts of the region over the past three days.
In Nova Scotia, nearly 30 roads and bridges were closed by the time the rain stopped on Wednesday.
Most of the damage was reported in Antigonish County, northeastern Nova Scotia, Victoria County and Inverness County in northern Cape Breton Island.
Nova Scotia’s Prime Minister Tim Houston said Thursday that the damage caused by the storm was significant. “Probably at least $ 7 million, which will trigger federal programming,” Houston told reporters. “There is a lot to do to rebuild, repair and restore.”
Several communities along the northeastern coast of Cape Breton Island were flooded with over 200 millimeters of rain, and some washouts closed the scenic Cabot Trail at the top of the island.
On the eastern side of the Cabot Trail on the Ingonish River, Nova Scotia, floods and washouts were reported in heavy rains of 278 mm in small communities.
“This week’s storm has hit our state, our people, and our transportation infrastructure,” Alan Makmaster, Deputy Minister of Public Works of Nova Scotia, said in a statement. “Our top priority is to ensure the safety of people, so check with your neighbors, especially the elderly.”
MacMaster asked residents in the affected areas to leave the road.
“I know Nova Scotia will do the usual thing. Come with us, help our neighbors and get over this as a community,” he said.
In the Porto Basque district of southwestern Newfoundland, repairs are underway on many roads, including the Trans-Canada Expressway, and helicopters were used to rescue trapped residents on Wednesday.
The closure of the main road to Porto Basque forced the ferry service between the town and North Sydney, Nova Scotia to change routes.
Marine Atlantic announced Thursday that it will temporarily reroute the intersection to Argentia, east of Newfoundland, to ensure that people and supplies reach the state. The route is usually offered only during the summer.
“Employees are working hard to prepare the (Argentia) terminal to accept customers in this emergency,” Marine Atlantic said in a statement. The first voyage between North Sydney and Argentina was scheduled to depart late Thursday afternoon.
A storm, described as an elongated region of a cyclone, stalled in the area between Monday and Wednesday. Eating the tropical dampness of the Caribbean has caused a record amount of rain to many communities, including Port-au-Prince, which has accumulated 165 mm over the past two days.
In the Codroy Valley, north of Porto Basque, a meteorological station recorded 195 mm of rain. Similarly, gusts in the Wreckhouse area reached 141 km / h.
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