Rainfall warning in effect for southwestern Newfoundland, possibility of flooding

Heavy rain is expected for areas along the southwest coast of Newfoundland Saturday afternoon into Sunday evening, as the current weather system causing severe flooding in Nova Scotia moves into the province.

Up to 150 mm of rain is expected throughout Sunday from Burgeo to Ramea and in the Channel-Port aux Basques region, the area that was ravaged by post-tropical storm Fiona last September.

Environment Canada has issued rainfall warnings for the region, with upwards of 70 to 100 mm of rain possible between Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening, and 150 mm or more possible in areas with the heaviest downpours.

Similar storms in the past have caused "elevated river levels, localized flooding, as well as road shoulder erosion and washouts," says Environment Canada, which also warns of the possibility for flash floods.

Channel-Port aux Basques mayor Brian Button says emergency crews are on standby in a town that has grappled with more than its fair share of severe weather, including widespread devastation from post-tropical storm Fiona and flooding caused by the remnants of post-tropical storm Nicole a couple of months later.

Button says residents who may run into trouble are urged to call the town's emergency line, which is 709-694-2844.

"We're trying to be as prepared as much as we can," says Button, "but, you know, when you get these type of forecasts with these type of rain events, the only things that we can do is just to try to respond as we go."

Button says the town saw heavy rain early Saturday afternoon that tapered off around lunchtime, and that crews have been monitoring systems in the town that have flooded or experienced other difficulties in the past.

As the town grapples with the effects of past extreme weather events, he says the most important step to prevent such devastation moving forward is for provincial and federal governments to help protect the town's shoreline.

"We have a lot of our infrastructure, a lot of our roads, a lot of that type of stuff that needs to be protected," said Button.

"Climate change is real. And we're experiencing more and more in our community alone."

Newfoundland's rainfall warning comes as Nova Scotia experiences its heaviest rainfall in 50 years, with some regions in the province seeing as much as 280 mm of rain, causing major flooding and evacuations.

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