Wendy Butler had planned for a typical Labour Day weekend at her parents’ home in The Points West Bay, Richmond County, where she was also checking on her property nearby with her husband. However, heavy rain measuring over 200 millimetres hit the Bras d’Or Lake shoreline early in the weekend, causing a local stream to overflow, resulting in road and bridge collapses around the community.
The situation took a turn for the worse around 4:15 a.m. on Saturday when the power went out at the couple’s trailer. Upon investigating, Butler’s husband rushed back inside in a state of urgency, prompting them to evacuate immediately. The water level had risen significantly, reaching the second step of their usually dry trailer.
After securing their dogs in the truck, the couple attempted to leave the driveway but were forced to wait in the vehicle due to the fast-flowing water until daylight broke. The sight of what seemed like a torrential river prevented them from going further down the driveway for about an hour and a half.
Despite the minor basement flooding at her parents’ house, Butler and her husband faced significant damage to their property, which they had been meticulously preparing over four summers. It wasn’t until late Saturday afternoon that they could access their new trailer, which had been set up just six days earlier, to gather essential items like medication.
The washed-out roads in neighboring Roberta and St. Georges Channel are hindering local residents from moving more than a few kilometers in either direction. Butler expressed her concerns on Sunday about depleting supplies, including food for their dogs and medication for herself and her mother. The possibility of being stranded for days to weeks was unsettling for her, hoping for a speedier resolution.
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