Canada: $150 million in damage as Newfoundland cleans up after Hurricane Igor

[Pastor Dale Morgan]

Perilous Times and Climate Change

Canada: $150 million in damage as Newfoundland cleans up after Hurricane Igor
 
 
Postmedia News and St. John’s Telegram
 September 25, 2010 1:27 PM
 

There were signs of hope and moments of heartbreak in Newfoundland on Saturday as the province worked to restore infrastructure and basic services left devastated by this past week’s Hurricane Igor.

The Canadian Forces started arriving en masse a day after Prime Minister Stephen Harper had surveyed the ransacked communities left by Igor and announced the military would be brought in.

The arrival of a contingent that included three ships, several Sea King helicopters, dozens of engineers and hundreds of military personnel was heralded by provincial government as giving residents “a sense of security.”

“We have great capacity now within the province, augmented by our Canadian Forces,” Transportation Minister Tom Hedderson told a news conference.

“We are making steady progress in our recovery efforts. Municipalities from all reports seem to be coping very, very well with their respective issues,” he said.

Meanwhile, the body of an elderly man who was swept away by the hurricane as he stood in his driveway was finally found.

Residents of Random Island had been searching for Allan Duffett, 80, who was standing in his driveway Tuesday when it was washed out from under his feet, leaving him to be washed away down a raging river bed.

RCMP said they received a call Saturday morning that residents had found Mr. Duffett’s body on a beach. The body was buried under the debris of the beach, which was created as a result of the hurricane.

Police confirmed the body had been identified and that family members had been notified.

The transportation minister said shipments of fuel and groceries were being shipped by ferries to some communities that had been cut off from the rest of the province by the fierce storm.

Igor blew through Tuesday with winds as high as 170 kilometres per hour and rainfall in some places of more than 200 millimetres, causing major damage to homes.

The province said about 90 communities at one point were isolated because of washouts and road closures. There were expectations some could be cut off for at least another week, but the situation seemed to be improving Saturday.

The MV Nonia arrived in Marystown with 80,000 litres of fuel and planned to return with food later in the day. The MV Island Joiner was going up and down the coast of Bonavista Bay handing out supplies.

HMCS Fredericton arrived, bringing Sea King helicopters that were expected to be used as needed for heavy lifting and night flying. It was to be joined by its sister frigates, the Montreal and the St. John’s.

“We’re in the game,” Brig.-Gen. Tony Stack told reporters.

“We’re here to support in anyway we can, at the province’s request.”

Brig.-Gen. Stack said a crew of 140 engineers had landed at Argentia, N.L., and was to spread out to affected communities.

The engineers will be helping rebuild bridges and to produce fresh water where it’s needed, he said.

Listing roads and bridges that had been reopened, Mr. Hedderson said the military might be used to get two more bridges set up quickly.

The Long Pond Bridge on the Burin Peninsula is expected to be complete late Monday, he said. He added that Random Island and Eastport Peninsula had both been re-connected.

The naval fleet has more than 600 personnel available, though those crews are really there to help support the Sea King helicopters that will be used for heavy lifting and road repairs.

“Things have improved drastically in short order,” Brig.-Gen. Stack said.