Comparing floods

Some residents are already comparing Monday’s rainfall to last year’s flooding disaster.

Around 50 to 60 millimetres of precipitation has fallen across the city and region over the last 24 hours with another 45 millimetres expected in the forecast. Near the end of May last year, the city received more than 120-millimetres of rain during the course of a two-day storm, with 71-millimetres falling in just six hours.

The flooding caused thousands of dollars in damage and flooded hundreds of basements.

Tanya Smyk, who has lived on Mary Street for the past five years, didn’t have her basement flood but the water did build up in her backyard. With the amount of rain that has already fallen, her backyard is already overflowing.

She said the amount of water she’s seeing is rivaling what she saw last year.

“The only other time I’ve seen this happen was when we have the city wide flooding last spring,” she said. “I hope it doesn’t come towards the foundation. This is the same amount of water. Before last year, I never ever saw the water reach my shed. This is probably just as close as I’ve ever seen it to my actual home.”

Smyk said her backyard usually pools with water because she’s at the lowest point in the neighbourhood.

Adding to her troubles is the fact that her sump pump is out at her camp. Fortunately, Smyk said her neighbour is helping her out.

“Last year during the flooding I pumped for eight solid hours in the middle of the day and it basically clears everyone’s backyard first then mine last,” she said. “I don’t want it coming near my foundation. I’ve never had a leak in my basement and I don’t want it to start now.”

Nancy Fournier-Leclerc, who has lived on Mountain Road for the past 11 years, didn’t have her basement flood last year but she said if the rain continues to come down she’s worried that this year could be a first.

“We’ve never see it that bad before,” she said. “We don’t really know what to expect. Our sump pump is just going and going. If we were to lose anything it would be our gym equipment, all our sports stuff, our freezer and we keep our wine down there. It’s more like storage. If it makes it up to the second basement, that’s our rec room and computer room.”

She said it took years to accumulate all her possessions and couldn’t bare thinking of losing it all.

The creek near Fournier-Leclerc ‘s home has risen over the past day and she said it’s a bit scary to see the water come closer to her home.

She added that’s also worried about being trapped along Mountain Road as the city already closed one section off.

“Tomorrow we have school and if that were to happen how would we make it out there,” she said.