Flood Details - 2014-04-14 - 2014-04-20

Spring flooding damaged more than 715 homes and businesses, roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure around the province. The majority of the properties damaged were in and around Sussex and Sussex Corner. April 11: Acadie Avenue between Chartersville Road and du Marché Street in Dieppe was reduced to one lane due to localized flooding. Several rural roads were closed to all vehicles due to flooding or water over roads. In the Moncton area, the following roads were closed: • A 5 kilometre span on Route 106 between Memramcook and Dorchester from Woodhurst Road to Anderson Mill Road; • A 6 kilometre span on Jolicure Road which runs parallel to Route 16 from Point de Bute Road to Sackville’s town line; • A 19 kilometre span on Desherbier Road in St. Ignance. • A 4.3 kilometre span on Lawson Road in Saint-Paul from end of chipseal to Route 490; • A 7 kilometre span on Route 490, 1.5 kilometres north of Route 515 to Jalletville Road; and • A dirt road section of Route 126 to Kent Lake in St-Charles. April 14: In Red Bridge, a small community west of Woodstock families and neighbours helped rescue cows and calves trapped in the barn next to Andy and Darla Martin’s home. The couple was away on a vacation when an ice jam on the Meduxnekeag River caused the waters to rise and surround their home. A neighbour provided a boat to help rescue the cattles. April 15: The following roads were closed due to flooding across the province: • Rockwell Stream caused flooding at the Broad Road in Geary. • Hillsborough Road (Route 114) at Mill Creek east of Riverview was flooded as the creek crept up over the road. • The parking lot of Broadview Power Sports, 2884 Hillsborough Road and Scott Road in Salisbury was closed due to flooding. • Gray Brook had its banks broken and flood waters inundated farm fields and ball parks. April 16: In Sussex and Sussex Corner, flood waters breached the banks of the swollen river system and flooded many homes, business, and roads. A state of emergency caused about 1,450 people to leave their homes. The emergency crews used boats to reach some residents stranded in their flooded homes. Fire fighters made more than 70 emergency evacuations. On Golding Street and Wallace Court, seniors were evacuated by emergency crews through the waist-high water. Schools in both Sussex and Sussex Corner were closed. In Sussex, the Gateway Mall, Wallace Court, Pine Street, Golding Street, Holman and McLean Streets, Clover Court subdivision was hardest hit by flooding. About 60 per cent of the Village of Sussex Corner was flooded. Many people were put off work as businesses remained closed from flooding. In Perth-Andover, 23 patients were voluntary evacuated and transferred to Upper River Valley Hospital and few discharged when Hotel-Dieu of St.Joseph was closed due to flooding. Some 22 single family home residents living in low-lying areas, apartment complexes, and assisted living facility were voluntary evacuated by the fire fighters. An ice jam at Nackawic forced a number of families to flee their homes. A section of Route 595 was closed as water was over the road. The situation restricted access to one of the community’s main roadways and fire fighters helped some families to flee the area. In Nashwaak Village, a road closure from flooding restricted flow of traffic. In Hoyt, rushing waters closed sections of Route 101 and Duplisea Road. Also, Indian Island, Elsipogtog First Nation, and Tobique First Nation communities reported flooding. A bridge in Coates Mills north of Moncton was pushed off its abutments by ice and was in danger of being washed away. Miramichi and Fredericton also had a number of roads closed due to flooding and washouts. In Fredericton, fast-flowing flood waters flooded homes and local business closing a section of the old Trans-Canada Highway and forcing the owners of the Country Pumpkin to evacuate. Motorists encountered road blocks at Bluebird Corner, Burton Bridge and at McGowan’s Corner. Fast-rising flood waters temporarily closed portions of Route 8 forcing drivers to seek alternate routes in areas between Killarney Road and the exit to Stanley for several hours. River Street and Chase Street in Marysville were closed due to water and ice over the road. A culvert on Route 8 in the Nashwaak Bridge area was washed away by excessive runoff. Sections of Route 8 were closed by flood waters and there was water on Route 107 near the Nashwaak Bridge. A section of the highway in Ludlow, between Doaktown and Boiestown, had been flooded, temporarily closing the highway north to Miramichi. The Cherryvale Covered Bridge on the Canaan River was washed away as was Bailey Bridge on the same river. In Moncton, the following roads were closed due to flooding and a few homes had flooded basements. • About 30 metres of Sherwood Road in Coates Mills • 4 kilometres of Weisner Road from Route 134 in Lakeville. • A 5 kilometre section of Route 106 between Memramcook and Dorchester. Some families of children who attend Dorchester Consolidated School had to detour through Memramcook and Sackville via the Trans-Canada Highway to get their children to school. April 20: The small community of Darlings Island, north of Quispamsis, remained under a voluntary evacuation order. Parts of Darlings Island Road remain submerged. Tobique First Nation fire chief and emergency measures organization issued a voluntary evacuation notice to homes that were along the St. John River. In southeastern New Brunswick, Notre-Dame and Cocagne residents experienced flood waters that washed out local roads. Firefighters from Saint-Antoine and Cocagne went door to door to ask residents to evacuate the affected area. In Saint John, Beach Road, Ragged Point Road, Dominion Park Road, and Lawrence Long Road was closed due to flooding concerns. The most affected area in Saint John was around the Kennebecasis Valley. Flood waters had surrounded the light house and submerged the wharf in Rothesay's Renforth Park. The Royal Kennebeccasis Yacht Club’s buildings were completely surrounded by water.

Flooding was caused from rainfall, melting snow, and ice jam.

April 16: Rainfall event of 25-35 millimetres of rain was experience by several regions of the province. Western Charlotte County received 30-50 millimetres of rain. Rainfall between 20 to 25 millimetres was recorded in Sussex and Sussex Corner. In Nackawic, there was six to eight inches of water on the road. Water was at least a foot over the road onto Route 105 in Maugerville area.

There was significant damage to homes, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure. In total, damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure is estimated to exceed $16 million dollars. No injuries or fatalities was reported.