Date: August 16-19, 2008

Location: Gambo

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Fatalities: 0

Injuries: 0

Source: CBC web site, the Telegram

Two weeks following a flood that affected the town of Gambo, further heavy rain caused flooding and closure of the Trans-Canada highway above the town. Nearby Gander recorded heavy rain on the 13/14th August (43.6 mm), and 54.4 mm on August 15th. The exceptional rainfall apparently caused the old highway to give way, and block culverts under the current road in the vicinity of Joey’s Lookout. Water built up to an estimated depth of close to 20 m of one side of the road, resulting in water washing over the road, and concerns of the stability of the road, and the slope beneath it. Cracks were observed in the road, and so the highway was closed to traffic, and residents in houses underlying the slope evacuated because of concerns regarding landslides.

A major effort by local firecrews (13 community fire crews were involved in all) resulted in the water being pumped away from the road, and eventual re-opening of the highway. The highway was closed on the night of the 16th and re-opened on the 18th. In the meantime road-users were held up, or had to use the Gander Bay loop to pass the area of flooding, adding over 2 hours to journeys.