It appears the Codroy Valley has been hardest hit in the southwest corner of the island with reports of 145 mm of rain. Port aux Basques has had about 125 mm so far.
The RCMP have been very busy the past 12 hours or so. There have been multiple washouts and police have received several calls from people who are stranded. Corporal Colin Helm of Port aux Basques RCMP says people have to stay put and definitely avoid the roads around the Codroy Valley as police are working to redirect drivers in the area.
The TCH at Doyles is impassable as is the TCH in the Tompkins area. About another 100 mm is forecast today and tonight and winds, which have eased slightly, will again stiffen up. Marine Atlantic has cancelled all crossings today and tonight and anticipates an interruption in the schedule tomorrow as well.
Meteorologist Rodney Barney of the Gander Weather Office says the system has stalled and is dumping rain on one particular area—the southwest corner at Port aux Basques.
He says it will be another wet day today. The Port aux Basques area is looking at another 70 to 100 mm of rain before things begin to taper off tonight, with the potential for up to 150 mm of rain over higher terrain. Areas north and east of Port aux Basques will see much less rain than the southwest corner of the island.
(Image via Holyrood Weather Radar.)
Port aux Basques Mayor Brian Button says the rain has been continuous and relentless but so far, the town’s facilities and infrastructure are holding up. He’s asking people to stay put, not drive around town and to stay away from the TCH.
Darryl Mercer of Marine Atlantic says the commercial backlog is heaviest on the Cape Breton side. There are about 170 units in North Sydney waiting to transport goods to Newfoundland and that number will continue to grow with crossings today cancelled.
Area schools are closed this morning as the rain continues and roads deteriorate. Belanger Memorial School in Doyles is closed for the morning with a further announcement at 10:30 a.m., St. James Regional High in Port aux Basques will be closed all day and the College of the North Atlantic Port aux Basques campus will be closed for the morning with an update at 11 a.m.
The TCH is closed, 25 kilometres west of Port aux Basques. #nltraffic pic.twitter.com/7Mj0BVG53B
— Transportation and Infrastructure NL (@TI_GovNL) November 24, 2021
The Department of Transportation has issued a number of road closures on the province’s west coast. They include the Trans-Canada Highway 25 km northwest of Port aux Basques between North branch and Tompkins, the TCH 5 km west of Doyle’s intersection, Route 406 Doyle’s Station Road, Route 413 St. Andrews, Lock Lomond Road and Upper Ferry Road are both closed to one lane. Residents are being advised to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
Meanwhile, the MHA for Burgeo-La Poile says while the municipalities and government are both as prepared as can be for the deluge on the west coast, right now they are at the mercy of the weather.
Andrew Parsons says he took part in emergency services call on Tuesday and just about everyone that could be needed has been mobilized. He says the area is used to severe weather, but nothing quite like this.
First responders and members of the public wishing to report urgent highway conditions, or motorists looking for recent road condition information can contact the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure:
