Heavy rain causes flooding, damage in Newfoundland

Heavy rain over the weekend brought a mix of localized flooding, washouts, and slides to much of the west coast of Newfoundland. In Lark Harbour, there were no washouts, but damage to houses, trails, and some roadways.

For some residents in western Newfoundland, Easter weekend meant a dangerous experience. In Lark Harbour, a house was knocked out of its foundation. The town’s mayor Wade Park says that was a lucky escape.

“The second major slide we had took a resident’s house off of the foundation. Luckily it wasn’t any bigger force. It would have put that house out into the brook. There were two residents in it and luckily no one was injured. And they’ve been there for years,” says Park.

Heavy rainfall

This comes after the west coast of Newfoundland was hit with over 90 millimetres of rain over the weekend. Park says the damage didn’t stop at the house.

“The first damage we had from the heavy rainfall was we had a slide that pretty much blocked off our main road coming in and out of Lark Harbour,” he says.

“The other damages, we had major washouts, one of our byroads had some significant damage from the heavy rains and such. Different residents had basement floodings.”

Roads affected

Park says some roads and nature trails were also affected, but there were no road washouts.

“One of the roads going through Lark Harbour to Bottle Cove Beach, the ditches were overflowing. The culverts, the infrastructure in place by DOT (Department of Transportation), it’s not big enough. The culverts are too small to carry any significant water like the rainfall we have,” he says.

Multiple issues

Park says there were many factors contributing to the localized flooding, but they were fortunate there were no washouts.

“Luckily, we didn’t have any big snow on the ground because we would have had major trouble. With the culverts being too small for the driveways going down to there, the driveways got washed out,” he says.

“Over the winter months, with the snowclearing and the sands and everything on the shoulders of the roads, a lot of that got pushed into the ditches that haven’t been cleaned out for years. Shallow ditches (and) small culverts made for a disastrous thing.”

Culverts to blame

Park says the next time they won’t be as lucky. He blames most of the issues on culverts that haven’t been upgraded in decades.

“The culverts have been there for years and us, as a town, we’ve been complaining now for years. I’ve been on council three and a half years, and the previous council had been harping to DOT about it. It’s 40-year-old infrastructure and maybe then some,” he says.

Bad washout

There were washouts in Cape St. George however, where Mayor Stella Cornect says one of the roads, part of Route 460, was washed out. Residents aren’t cut off, but must take a long detour.

“We’re not cut off, not at present. Approximately 150 residents can use the loop to go around. It just takes longer. On our side of Rouzes Brook, we do not have access to the one retail store left in the area. We can (get to the store), it’s just a longer distance,” says Cornect.

Houses affected

She says a few houses in the community are also affected.

“One family had to be evacuated and they are staying with family. One home is in danger of collapsing. I really don’t think anything will save it, that’s my opinion. Maybe after it is looked over, something might be able to be done,” says Cornect.

Sanuda Ranawake is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Indigenous and rural issues.

Feature image by iStock.com/iiievgeniy