Date: 19 October 2003

Location: Near Hermitage

Easting:

Northing:

Latitude: 47° 32′ 00″ N

Longitude: 55° 56′ 00″ W

Fatalities:

Injuries:

Source: www.cbc.ca

The road between Hermitage and Harbour Breton was washed out after heavy rainfall in the area.

CBC web site reports:-

Hermitage road cut off by rain

Oct 20 2003 12:43 PM NDT

ST. JOHN’S – The Department of Works, Services and Transportation is working Monday to repair flood damage to roads on Newfoundland’s south coast.

Route 364, the road to Hermitage and Seal Cove, was cut off Sunday when up to 50 millimetres of rain hit the area.

Washed out shoulder

Wayne Ricks, the department’s regional director, says the road washed out after debris clogged a culvert in the heavy rain.

A section of route 360, one kilometre south of the road to Harbour Breton, is down to one lane, as well.

Doug Rose, the mayor of Hermitage, says people who left the community on the weekend were unable to return to their homes.

He says some people are parking their cars on one side of where the road is washed-out and are walking to the other side.

Ricks says the department should have access to Hermitage restored by Monday evening.

It will take longer to restore shoulders that have been eroded in the area. Ricks says drivers should be careful because there are steep drop-offs
at the edge of the pavement.

Flooded highway reopened

WebPosted Oct 20 2003 05:54 PM NDT

HARBOUR BRETON – Road crews worked throughout Monday to reopen the highway to Hermitage on Newfoundland’s south coast. Heavy rain Sunday washed out
the road.

Wayne Ricks, regional director with the Department of Works, Services and Transportation, says traffic was moving again by late Monday afternoon,
but the job is far from finished.

“We will be continuing to work into the evening, concentrating then on the section on the Harbour Breton road, which is a section that is about one
kilometre south of the intersection there at Hermitage.

Claudine Hill of Hermitage and 37 other women were stranded Sunday in English Harbour West, when they went to a church meeting and couldn’t get home.

“Quite the adventure,” she says. “We’ve had quite the experience.”

On Monday, a bus brought the women to the washout, and they walked around to waiting cars.

Hill says the destruction was disturbing. “It’s a real devastating site, it’s a bit scary to look at.”

Ricks says drivers still have to be careful because even though the road is open, repairs will continue for weeks.