Fiona: Cleanup continues in southeastern N.B. as damage becomes more clear

In Pointe-du-Chêne, N.B., the wrath of post-tropical storm Fiona remains evident.

Uprooted trees, torn-up pavement and piles of dirt and rubble.

At the wharf, the preliminary assessment brought grim news to general manager Victor Cormier.

“Fiona is probably five to eight times worse than storm Dorian,” he said on Monday. “The damages here are probably around two, three million dollars.”

The Sandbar, a restaurant on the wharf, is a total loss, Cromier said. It was pushed off its foundation and damaged by the force of the winds and storm surge Saturday.

That’s just the start of the damage, Cormier said.

“It’s the type of thing, when you really start looking, you find, ‘OK, there’s something else, and there is something else.’”

Cormier said he will look toward the federal and provincial government for assistance, adding the wharf is a non-profit organization and is a critical piece of infrastructure for the area.

In tourist season, more than 100,000 people visit that area. Lobster fisherman also use the wharf and that means any damage also impacts them.

Sadly, Fiona has undone some of the investments made in the wharf in recent years.

“It’s a little disheartening in the sense, you’re proud of what you’ve done, but all of a sudden it’s like there is this kick in the stomach from Fiona that sends you for a whirl and it’s not a good thing,” Cormier said.

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Hurricane Fiona devastates Atlantic Canada

In Caissie Cape, Donna Bruce was in awe of the damage. She moved to that area of New Brunswick a year ago full-time.

“Incredible. This beach is usually very quiet, we don’t get waves, we’re on the Northumberland Strait. It’s just heaven here,” she said. “Well Mother Nature showed us what she can do, it was pretty amazing.”

The area sustained heavy damage from flooding and winds, with entire backyards washed away, decks tossed hundreds of feet away from the property, and lots of trees toppled.

Yolande Noel has lived in Caissie Cape for more than four decades.

“This is the first year … we’ve seen this much damage after a storm.”

NB Power is working to restore power to the final pocket of New Brunswickers without service, mainly in the southeastern region of the province.

It says 178 crews are assisting in that effort, working 16-hour shifts.

The main obstacle for those crews is downed trees on power lines and debris. “Crews will continue to restore power until we have every customer restored, no matter the obstacle,” the utility said on Twitter.