Storm washes away areas of Trans-Canada Highway in southwestern Newfoundland
CBC
The Department of Transportation is reporting multiple washed out roads in the Codroy Valley area, including two parts of the Trans-Canada Highway near Doyles, after a rainstorm pummelled Newfoundland's southwest coast overnight.
The department reported the following road closures:
Environment Canada said Port aux Basques has received 128 millimetres of rain as of 9:30 a.m. NT Wednesday.
Rodney Barney, a meteorologist with Environment Canada's weather officer in Gander, said the rain should intensify early Wednesday morning, as meteorologists expect the system to bring 150 to 200 millimetres of rain to the area in total.
"We're still looking at another 12 to 18 hours of rain," he said.
"It looks like through the morning hours is probably when the heaviest part of the shower activity will be occurring for today, then gradually winding down as we go into the afternoon and evening."
Barney said another 50 to 80 millimetres of rain could fall, with as much as 150 millimetres over high-elevation areas.
Winds gusted in excess of 130 km/h in the Wreckhouse area, but have diminished slightly Wednesday morning reaching about 90 km/h, Barney said. He said the wind is expected to pick up again later Wednesday morning.
The brunt of the rainfall is confined to the southwest corner of the island, meaning the Port aux Basques area and as far east as La Poile can anticipate the storm to continue to soak the communities.
In a news release, the RCMP said Department of Transportation crews were working in the Codroy Valley areas to assess the damage.
Ryan Moore, who lives in Doyles, was driving along a stretch of roadway Tuesday night when the asphalt beneath his truck gave way.
"I was kind of in shock. [The] airbags and everything went off and I jumped out," he said.
"I looked behind me and there was just a black hole behind me ... all I could hear was pavement cracking, it was pitch black so I couldn't really see what was going on."
Moore said he had actually sold that truck earlier in the day. Now it's a total write off.
Math is not Berry Genge's strongest subject, but she credits her desire to solve problems and her interest in how things work for making her want to study engineering. The fourth-year UPEI student was one of 10 chosen in Canada this spring to become 3M National Student Fellows. The honour, administered by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), recognizes students who demonstrate leadership qualities both on and off campus.