Insurers across Atlantic Canada are bracing themselves for action as communities in both Newfoundland and Nova Scotia begin an extensive clean-up on the back of widespread flood damage.
Storms brought torrential rain to the region during the long weekend with the
Canadian Press reporting that students from Brookland Elementary School in Sydney were being temporarily relocated because of the water damage to the building – that area received more than 200mm of rain.
In Newfoundland, work is under way to reopen the Trans-Canada Highway in Terra Nova National Park – a section of the highway was washed away leading to south-eastern Newfoundland being cut off from the rest of the island.
Speaking about the damage, Cecil Clarke, the mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality commented to the newswire that it was the worst rain-related disaster to hit the community during his lifetime with extensive damage to roads, parks destroyed and homes flooded. There had also been damage to waste water and a major water main break, he noted. He is confident the city will easily reach the minimum $3 million threshold for disaster relief but noted that many homeowners in the province do not have insurance in place and would also rely on relief from the province.
Meanwhile, Nova Scotia’s Premier Stephen McNeil noted that he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the damage. Speaking to the
Canadian Press he said: “When you see what’s happening, trees being uprooted and taking roads with them, roads being washed out completely, the actual force of that water must be phenomenal.”
Both he and Newfoundland Premier Dwight Ball are said to have spoken to the Prime Minister about disaster relief.
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