New Brunswick weather: Storm causes flooding, damage to roads

The heavy rain that drenched New Brunswick on Wednesday has caused damage to roads and bridges and led to one death, car accidents and boating rescues.

The Emergency Measures Organization said heavy rains havecaused flooding and many roads are water covered and were damaged by the flooding. Some areas of central and southern New Brunswick received more than 160 millimetres of rain, said EMO.

"Drainage systems have become overwhelmed in many placesthere are reports of localized flooding," said EMO. "The impact on private homes is reported to be significant."

• Heavy rain washes out roads, bridges in New Brunswick

• 'There was no road': Man rescued in a boat, after SUV flips

• Photo Gallery: The latest storm photos from around New Brunswick

• CBC Storm Centre: Get the latest closures from around the province

The RCMPis also reporting a high number of accidents in the last 24 hours because of the torrential rain that soaked the province.

A 51-year-old Berwick man died when a retaining wall fell on him while he was trying to hook up his sump pump. He died as a result of his injuries, accordingto the police.

The RCMPrescued six duck hunters from Grand Lake at 8:30 p.m. after their boat began to sink. The hunters were able to make it to a small island, where they were rescued.

The police were also called to 10 vehicle accidents caused by collapsed roads or hydroplaning.

Among those accidents, alarge sinkhole swallowed a car on Route 850 near Belleisle, but no one was hurt, according to the Emergency Measures Organization.

However, a SUV plunged into a river because of a separatewashout on Route 101 in Hoyt. Patrick Morrison, the driver, has been released from the hospital.

The emergency organization said bridges are washed out inBelleisleCreek,NerepisandKars.

Municipalities and other emergency officials have beenwarning drivers to be careful because of several road closures and washouts.

NB Powerwas able to return power to almost all customers by 9:30 p.m., with only nine outages remaining around the province.

Emergency Measures Organization officials said the Nashwaak River was above flood stage on Thursday, but the water level was expected to recede below flood stage by Friday morning.

EMO also advises water levels along all rivers and streams in central and southern New Brunswick will remain high and fast over the next few days.

A disaster recovery line has been activated by Service New Brunswick. Residents who have been affected by the storm can call 1-888-298-8555 to register, or they can register online.

Homeowners who have been flooded are advised to contact their insurance company and to document any repairs they make for future reference.

On Wednesday evening, the flooding hit Saint John as well as other southwestern communities, such asMilltownand St. Stephen.

St. Stephen Mayor JohnQuartermainand Jeff Richardson, the town's fire chief, were asking people onWednesday night to stay at home and not drive around looking at flooded areas.

"The outlying areas are a mess," said Richardson on Wednesday night.

St. George firefighters were in St. Stephen helping the nearby community, saidQuartermain.

The heaviest rains on Wednesday were reported in:

• Kouchibouguac: 168 mm
• Miramichi: 154 mm
• Bouctouche: 144 mm
• Fredericton: 141mm
• St. Stephen: 133 mm
• Saint John: 111 mm
• Moncton: 91 mm
• Bathurst: 89 mm

The flooding closed many schools across the province.

The Anglophone West School Districtclosed schools in Oromocto, Lincoln, Geary, Fredericton Junction, Burton, Gagetown, Cambridge Narrows, Minto and Chipman.

Belleisle Elementary,BelleisleRegionalHigh School,cole Arc-en-Ciel in Oromocto,Riverside Consolidated School andMagnetic Hill School were also closed.

More rain on Thursday

Environment Canada has halted the heavy rain warnings that were in place for southern New Brunswick on Wednesday.

Those rainfall alerts have been replaced by frost warnings in northwestern New Brunswick.

Peter Coade, a CBC meteorologist, predicted the rain wouldend in New Brunswickon Thursdayafternoon, but not until Friday elsewhere in the Maritimes.

"The trough of low pressure or cold front that slipped south across New Brunswickhas virtually stalled over Nova Scotia," Coade said.

These weather patterns are expected to draw moisture from disturbances along the eastern seaboard, making for continued wet weather.

"Rainfall amounts will be great in many areas with some storm totals approaching 175 mm by the time any clearing takes place," he said.