N.B. assesses damage as storm surge continues

New Brunswick's most famous beach and a popular sand-dune preservation area have been heavily damaged by a storm surge that is pounding province's east coast.

Storm surge warnings were still in effect Wednesday eveningforNew Brunswick's eastern seaboard. Environment Canada warned thatalthough winds were below warning levels, a new round of coastal flooding was still a possibilityat the next high tideThursday afternoon.

"A major low pressure system persisting south of Nova Scotia will continue to bring strong north to northeast winds and a mix of precipitation over much of New Brunswick tonight," the warning issued late Wednesday afternoon said.

People across the province's eastern seaboardwhohave beendealing with damaged homes, washed-out roads and power outagessaid that they had never seen a surf like this in their decades living there.

"This is the worst of the worst," said Bouctouche resident Jeannelle LeBlanc.

She saw first-hand the damage the storm has done to the Bouctouche dune, which was developed by the N.B. company J.D. Irving Ltd., and attracts more than100,000 tourists a year.The surf didextreme damage to its two kilometres of boardwalk and 12 kilometres ofdunes.

"I know all the work that the Irvings and the community have done on this project and to see this storm take [a] big toll like it is today, it's unbelievable," LeBlanc said.

Joanne Jaillet, the director of the Irving Eco-Centre, said 1.2 kilometresof the dune's boardwalk is gonebecause ofthe storm.

"My heart was torn apart for sure because that's my work," Jaillet said.

"Are we going to still keep on going or is the dune still going to be there for another 10 years, five years, we don't know."

Jaillet said sheexpects the boardwalks will be rebuilt.

NearShediac, approximately30 kilometres to the south, the province's most well-known beach,Parlee Beach, had large sections of its sands washed away. Parlee Beach Provincial Park is one of the province's largest tourist destinations, attracting 500,000 visitors a year.

Shediac's marina sustained heavy damagetoits wharf, lighthouse, and a walkway, which was torn to pieces by the surf.

A trailer park also suffered damage, as decks and picnic tables were sweptfurtherinland.

Shediac Mayor Raymond Cormierfound a silver lining.

"There was damage as you can see here at the marina and it's quite extensive, six figures for sure, but it could have been worse," he said. "There's no loss of lives. That'simportant."

From the seaside tourist community of Shediac to the northern city of Miramichi, the storm left properties and buildings in ruin, only days after a different weather pattern caused extreme flooding and similar destruction in southwestern New Brunswick. The province was also hit in recent weeks by flooding the southeast and a separate storm surge that heavily damaged properties in the village of Charlo.

Premier DavidAlward said he's been happy with the response of the government and the Emergency Measures Organization so far.

"The EMO system and the community-based system that's in place is working," he said. "And I believe good decisions are being made. But is it easy on people? Lives are being overturned, so it's not easy."

Alward said 14 inspection teams from different departments, including Public Safety and Environment, had started evaluating damaged homes. "That work is all being done effectively," he said.

On Tuesday, the pounding surf caused many people to try to move to higher ground and salvage personal property.

The storm forced 35 residents from the Indian Island First Nationfromtheir homes. About 160 people from various coastal communities spent the night away fromhome afterthe storm surge along the eastern coast Tuesday afternoon.

The area between Port Elgin and Richibucto bore the brunt of the storm Tuesday.

Greg MacCallum, the deputy director of the EMO, said some people in Rexton stayed at a nursing home whileother people in Richibucto were sent to the fire hall.

There are "somewhere in the vicinity of 150 houses that'll have to be looked at and inspected to determine whether or not there's extensive work to be done to recover and get people back in their homes or if it's just a matter of pumping out some basements," MacCallum said.

He said the inspections will begin as soon as the water recedes.

N.B. Power, which was dealing with thousands of outages Tuesday, was reporting only 203 at about 7 p.m. AT Wednesday, with more than half of those in Shediac.