N.B. Blacks Harbour damaged by storm

The damage in Blacks Harbour, N.B., is evident as soon as one gets off Route 1 to head towards the small village. A power line is the only thing keeping a massive tree from blocking the road.

Fallen trees, downed power lines, and other damage left by Monday’s storm that brought winds reaching upwards of 100 km/hr still cover Blacks Harbour. The main core of the village had power restored Tuesday night but many people in the area remain in the dark.

Lorraine Hooper is one of those residents. A number of trees have fallen in her yard from the storm, and says in her 40 years living at her home, she has never seen a storm like this.

“Even our house was creaking and it’s never done that before,” says Hooper. “We were talking about it the other night that we don’t even think that the groundhog gale was as bad as this.”

“I didn’t expect it going it but is definitely one of the worst I have seen in a long time,” echoed fellow Blacks Harbour resident Tyler Savoi.

Even John Craig, mayor of Eastern Charlotte, agrees this storm was unlike any else.

“You talk to anybody in the area, older people, younger people, nobody has seen a storm like this before,” he says.

Craig says everyone in the area was without power at one point or another and he fears it could be weeks before everyone is back on line.

His number one focus for his community is getting a fallen tree and hydro pole removed from Wellington road, which requires NB Power’s help. Until they arrive, hundreds of residents are stuck.

“It’s bad enough they are out of power, but now they can’t even get out of here just to go even a grocery store,” says the mayor. “Here we are a week away from Christmas they can’t get out and see friends. If we had a fire right now we can’t get a firetruck down here, we can’t get an ambulance down here.”

“This needs to be a priority for NB Power.”

Craig does praise NB Power for their continued effort in getting the lights back on around the province, but says this issue needs to be moved up the list. He and residents on the road have made multiple calls to NB Power about the fallen tree but have yet to get a timeline for when it could be moved.

“If it wasn’t for friends and family that live on the other side of this mess I mean we would have lost hundreds of dollars in food,” says Savoi. “It wouldn’t be a good situation that’s for sure.”

Savoi is thankful he and his wife have been able to get help from friends but says others on the street are not able to do so until the road is cleared.

All five fire stations in Eastern Charlotte have charging stations set up for residents during regular business hours. The Magaguadavic Place Community Centre in St. George is also open as a warming centre for residents.

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