 A motorist stranded in floodwaters in Cobourg awaits help. (Pete Fisher/QMI Agency)
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QUINTE WEST, Ont. - As a winter storm was pounding the west, Ontarians were trying to keep dry through a flood alert in the eastern part of the province.
A rainstorm that moved through the region Monday morning overflowed creek beds and catch basins that couldn’t keep up with the water surge. The rain, matched with rising temperatures that melted snow-covered ground through the weekend, flooded basements and sections of road through much of eastern Ontario.
Crews were dispatched in the early hours of Monday morning, clearing debris from catch basins.
In some cases it was a losing battle. One major underpass in Trenton, Ont., was under five feet of water.
About a dozen people in vans and cars were trapped in the rising waters in Cobourg, where tow trucks eventually arrived to drag vehicles free.
Tracy Catherwood was driving through a flooded intersection when she stalled.
“When I tried to get out, the water rushed in,” Catherwood said.
During the rescues, a school bus and a car collided. There were no reports of injuries.
Rodney Daffoe, who lives northwest of Trenton, woke up to a pond for a backyard.
"I've never seen this much water lying around in January," said Daffoe.
He toured his property on an ATV Monday morning, finding water as deep as three feet in places.
Nearby, homeowner Brian Darrah watched helplessly as his basement flooded.
Public crews arrived at 11 a.m. to surround the house with sandbags.
“It‘s crazy. I’ve never seen this before. I hope it stops soon,’’ said Darrah.
A forecast for an additional five to 10 mm of rain for remainder of Monday is expected to result in higher flood waters.
- with files form Valerie MacDonald
