Cottagers are surveying damage from the massive weekend rain storm.
Grant Fisette lives on Caddy Lake year round. The heavy rain caused the slope beside his home to collapse, sending rocks and earth down into the lake.
He said he was asleep on the couch during the storm, and had no idea of the devastation until the morning.
“I didn’t hear anything,” said Fisette. “6.8 inches of rain is absurd.”
“This happens in New Zealand, not Manitoba.”
Fisette brought an engineer to his house Monday to try and figure out a plan to repair the damage, but because of road closures, he has no idea when equipment will be able to get in.
According to Environment Canada, up to 140 millimeters of rain fell in the Whiteshell Saturday.
Fisette said he is going over his insurance policy, but doubts he has enough coverage to take care of the damage on his property.
Now on top of worrying about his home, cottagers are also worrying about flooding. Water on Caddy Lake is rising. Fisette said he will be spending the morning sandbagging.
He also said the water is rising along Highway 312.
“There’s 22 inches of water blocking the road,” said Fisette, adding he believes it will take about two weeks for the water to subside.
Sustainable Development closed Highway 312 Sunday, the road leading to Fisette’s home. He can only travel back and forth to town by boat.
Girl Guides of Canada Manitoba said its camp on Caddy Lake was spared significant damage.
Eighty-five sparks, girl guides and pathfinders between the ages of five and 17 slept at the camp the night of the storm.
Janet DeSousa said a few trees and one tent came down, but everyone is doing well
Everyone was having a wonderful time, she added, but when voluntary evacuations came through they all packed up and left before supper.
DeSousa explained there was a lot of water runoff and the beach is under four feet of water, which can be normal during times of high-water.
Staff at the camp plan to visit it to make sure it is safe from erosion before any campers return this summer.
