High tides due to lunar cycle cause minor flooding in Bathurst area

The Queen Elizabeth Drive area near Youghall Beach in Bathurst, N.B., got flooded by Saturday's high tide.

Resident Jane Moore has lived in the area for almost a decade now. But it was her first time seeing such a quick rise in the water level, she said.

"We were walking towards that intersection … and the water was just coming completely over the embankment. It was just flooding like a waterfall coming over and it just kept rising and rising," she said. 

"We have a property that's adjacent to the road and it was coming up our driveway at a very quick rate."

Moore said the sight made her anxious.

She said her house was built at a certain height because it is in a flood-prone area, and she tried to keep calm and hope for the best.

Saturday's low temperature resulted in ice formation, leaving Moore stuck in her house waiting for the roads to be cleared.

"The ice is all over the place, so we're just waiting for the city to come and help us out," she said.

Beresford resident Dave Grebenc said he faced a similar issue on his drive to Bathurst.

Luc Foulem, a spokesperson for the City of Bathurst, said drainage and de-icing efforts began on Saturday evening.

City crews used pumps to get water off the streets as the tides receded, he said. Two plows were used to clear the ice buildup and salt the area.

The drainage operation continued overnight on Saturday, extending into Sunday afternoon, he said.

Foulem said such an amount of water in Bathurst was "not seen in a number of years."

Environment Canada had issued a coastal flooding statement for the Bathurst and Chaleur region on Saturday afternoon. Several other areas in northern New Brunswick were also included.