Ice breaker arrives to help flooded towns

[Spiel]

Ice breaker arrives to help flooded towns

 

 

February 14, 2009

Dana Brown / The Hamilton Spectator

 

 

PORT MAITLAND – A Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker has arrived in Port Maitland to help chop up ice in the Grand River and release a jam causing massive flooding between Dunnville and Port Maitland.

 

Dave Schultz, manager of communications with the Grand River Conservation Authority, said the ship began pulling into the harbour around 1:45 p.m. Saturday.

 

“It spent two hours just trying to clear some space out in the lake so that ... when this ice starts to move out there’s a place for it to go,” he said.

 

The GRCA is requesting people stay away from Port Maitland, which has been evacuated and had power to the town cut off as a precaution. About 100 homes in Dunnville, where water levels remain steady, have also had power shut off, Schultz said.

 

The flooding has submerged streets and forced people to flee their homes in search of higher ground.

 

The GRCA said the situation poses a “serious threat” to public safety as another ice jam could form instantaneously in Port Maitland as the current one moves down river.

 

“There’s a very minor amount of flooding around (Port Maitland) but the concern is that if the ice jam moves and reestablishes, that some water could spill over the bank,” Schultz said.

 

He had no idea how long the ice breaker might take to release the jam.

 

Ontario Provincial Police are also monitoring the situation, which at one time also included flooding in Cayuga. Water levels are expected to continue until at least around 6 p.m. Saturday, OPP said.

 

“Residents that have been affected by high water will now require inspections of the electricity and natural gas systems within their homes to ensure that they have not been affected by water,” said Constable Mark Foster.

 

In Wallaceburg, officials have lifted a state of emergency declaration after the small southwestern Ontario town between Sarnia and Chatham was hit by Sydenham River overflow, which flooded several streets and threatened the hospital.

 

Officials said an ice breaker called in to break up the ice jam there worked six hours and did the trick, allowing the water to recede enough for the emergency to be called off.