Severe storm hits homes and farmers’ fields causing flooding, damage, and limiting travel
A severe storm, which included rain, hail, and tornadoes, hit the province on June 9. After all was said and done, nine inches of rain fell in St. Andrews, and on June 10, St. Andrews Council declared a local state of emergency for the region.
“Over the course of the evening, when the storm started, we received approximately nine inches of rain, that created conditions that posed a serious threat to property, the environment, and the safety and well-being of our residents,” explained St. Andrews Mayor Joy Sul.
In addition to declaring a local state of emergency, St. Andrews Council issued a voluntary evacuation advisory on the same day, which affected the residents residing within the designated area, north of Clandeboye Road and east of PTH 8 to the most easterly boundary of the RM of St. Andrews, including the Petersfield/Netley Creek areas. This was not a mandatory evacuation, but the voluntary evacuation was declared for any resident who feels unsafe or uncomfortable staying at their residence.
Residents may have feel unsafe as roads in the RM were closed due to flooding, limiting travel for residential vehicles as well as first responders, and power outages occurred in the area.
Anyone evacuating is also required to register with the municipality as per the information on the RM’s website.
Both the local state of emergency and voluntary evacuation advisory are still in effect as of press time on Monday, June 15.
Sul estimated that approximately 50 homes were directly impacted and that approximately 1000 residents will have had their regular routines turned upside down by this storm.
In addition to flooding affecting residents, the RM office itself was affected by the storm.
Viewers of the RM’s online council meetings would have likely seen that during the June 9 meeting, the feed was cut off due to a power outage that affected the building for a few minutes before power was restored, and the meeting continued. Everyone in the building eventually made their way home, but that night, at approximately 1:30 a.m. on June 10, the Superintendent of Public Works for the RM received a call that an alarm had gone off in the RM office. Sul explained that when he arrived, there was approximately four inches of water in the building.
The RM office had to be closed, and though staff had to relocate to a mixture of working virtually and to the Clandeboye Fire Hall, Sul says that municipal services have been running as close to normally as possible given the situation.
“The restoration people, they’ve been working all weekend. We hope the main office to be open by (June 16),” said Sul.
The most recent update on the situation before press time was a video message uploaded to the RM’s YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlzWHdynCMw). In it, Sul empathized with the situation that residents find themselves in and spoke about resources for residents and what the RM itself is doing at this time.
“Over the past several days, many families have experienced flooded homes, damaged property, washed-out driveways, flooded fields, and the stress and uncertainty that comes with it. For some, this has meant losing cherished possessions and facing difficult cleanup and repair efforts. For our farming community, it has meant watching recently planted fields disappear under water. On behalf of Council, our hearts are with you. We know this has been an overwhelming and emotional experience for many residents. Please know that your municipality is working hard to support you, and helping residents recover remains our highest priority,” said Sul in the update.
She explained that though water levels are receding, there are still challenges six days out from the storm.
“In the northwest corner of the municipality, debris continues to block drains and culverts, slowing the movement of water from fields. While water is moving, the drainage system remains at capacity, and it will take time for water levels to fully subside. Our Public Works crews continue to work long hours clearing blocked culverts, assessing road damage, and responding to priority concerns as quickly as possible,” said Sul.
She explained that the municipality’s resources are currently stretched to the limit and that she is grateful that Disaster Financial Assistance was recently announced by the province. Information about this assistance can be found on the RM’s website for any resident who may need it.
“We know many residents have already asked how they can help. Our Recreation Department is coordinating volunteer efforts to assist residents, particularly seniors and those with mobility challenges, with cleanup activities such as yard work, flooded basements, and crawl spaces,” said Sul.
Information about how you can sign up to help those in the community in need of a hand is available on the RM’s website in a post from June 15.
Sul also said in the update that both RM landfills will begin accepting water damaged items free of charge from impacted residents. Details had not been posted as of press time, but should appear on the RM’s website shortly.
Sul ended with a thank you to the administration team, public works crews, fire departments, volunteers, contractors, the MMF, the Petersfield Hotel, and everyone else who has worked tirelessly throughout this emergency.
She ended by saying, “Thank you as well to our residents for your patience, understanding, and resilience. This has been an incredibly challenging time, but it has also shown the very best of our community. Many residents may still have limited internet access, so please share this message with neighbours, family, and friends. Continue checking the RM website and Facebook page for updates as recovery efforts continue. The worst of the rainfall event is behind us. The flooding has occurred, and now our focus is on recovery, rebuilding, and helping residents get back on their feet. Recovery will take time, but we will get through this together.”
