Antigonish residents told to stay home after heavy rain causes flooding
CBC
Residents of Antigonish, N.S., are being warned to stay home after heavy rains have caused flooding and washed out roads.
Main Street is flooded and closed between Court and St. Andrew's streets. Chisholm Park and Columbus Field are also closed due to rising water, as well as the Creighton Lane parking lot.
Town spokesperson Kate Gorman said Brierly Brook and Wrights River are overflowing their banks. She said public works crews are cleaning catch basins.
"But things are happening quickly and we're just advising residents, if they can, to please stay home and be mindful if they do have to travel," she said.
Residents have been posting photos to social media of flooding and roads washed out in the area.
CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon said that as of 3 p.m. AT, the Collegeville weather station in Ashdale — which is closest to Antigonish — had reported 98 millimetres of rainfall. Snoddon said another 10 to 20 millimetres is possible this evening, with lingering showers continuing through to Wednesday.
Antigonish Coun. Sean Cameron posted video to Facebook of the flooding at MacDonald Trailer Park.
He told CBC News that the provincial Emergency Management Office was on scene helping evacuate people from the site. He said the local transit agency was transporting people to a comfort centre using buses.
Cameron estimated the water to be as deep 1.67 metres or nearly 5.5 feet in some places, noting he saw a car nearly submerged that had water up to its windows.
He said boats were even used to help get people from their trailers to safety.
Cameron said it's the worst flooding he's seen in more than 20 years.
Tarek El-Aker has a daughter who is in Grade 6 at H.M. MacDonald Elementary School in nearby Maryvale.
The school closed early for the day, as did all schools falling under the Strait Regional Centre for Education umbrella. However, Route 245, the road leading to the school, was washed out on one side and flooded on the other.
"I'm kinda nervous about it and curious to see if she thinks it's fun or if she's worried about it," said El-Aker.