Storm surge was 'unreal,' resident of Newfoundland's south coast says

Mose Ambrose resident Charlie Wells says Friday's storm surge caused serious damage to his community on the south coast of Newfoundland.

"It was unreal. You had to be here. You got to be here to see it," Charlie Wells said Friday night from his home near English Harbour West.

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Wells said the winds were so highthey sent waves crashing over the shore.

"[They] completely took the breakwater out there [at the] back of my house.It was very bad;I was very scared there for a while," said Wells.

He said the storm destroyed a guard rail in addition tothe breakwater.

"The postwas eightby eightand it snapped them off just the same as if somebody sawed them off with a chainsaw and took the guard rails off the posts and everything," Wells said.

"I'd say the water was up to the floor of the house, for sure, because it was up that high on the clapboard, right? So it was very bad for a while," until the wind changed and the tide went out, said Wells.

"Thank God I never got no water in the house,"he said, adding it surrounded his home at one point.

By Friday night, Wells said the wind had shifted and the water receded as the tide went out, but it left heavy damage in its wake.

Environment Canada had a gale warning and freezing spray warning in effect for the south coast as of Saturday afternoon.