It wasn’t widely publicized like it was in other towns, but Woody Point also declared a state of emergency because of damage from this past weekend’s flooding.
Coun. Steve Galliott said the declaration was made as the area in and around the Gros Morne National Park enclave was struck by a number of landslides, a power outage and a blockage in the brook that feeds the town’s water supply.
“We didn’t put it out there like other towns did because we had everyone in town accounted for and the problems we had contained or being addressed,” said Galliott.
The residents themselves were confined in a sense, too, as a landslide in the neighbouring community of Glenburnie had closed the highway leading into town and nearby Trout River was also under a state of emergency because of widespread flooding there.
“Our biggest concern was we had no water,” explained Galliott.
With the water supply reduced to a trickle because of the blockage in the brook, the town feared what little water was in the reservoir would freeze after temperatures dropped.
Residents were under a boil water order for the water that was available.
Work was continuing to free up the flow in the brook Monday afternoon when the town was visited by Premier Dwight Ball to see the damage.
Galliott said measures were taken to possibly have some town residents moved to the Discovery Centre, which had its own backup generator power. A contingency plan was also in place to use the tour boat ferry in town to get people out in the event of an emergency while the highway was being repaired.
