Sydney flood victims relive nightmare as water rises again after heavy rain

JeanDoueof Sydney, N.S.,is reliving a nightmare.

Her 100-year-old house on Union Streetwas surrounded by water Wednesday. Itflooded during the Thanksgiving storm of last year and with more rain in the forecast Wednesday night,she's afraid it's going to happen again.

"We had to clean it upourselvesthe last time. There was no pumps to help us,there was no trucks to help us. If we didn't get the house cleaned out and dried outwith no power for three days we would have lost our home," she said Wednesday.

"And now the water's up again."

'Where's the help?'

Douesaid there is already water coming into her basement andshe is frightened and angry.

"This time, we're calling for helpbefore it happens and there's no help," she said, adding that she's placed calls to the city as well astheoffices of the mayor, her MLAand the premier.

Douesaid she's even sent anemailto Prime Minister JustinTrudeau.

"Where's the help?" she asked.

"There's no boots on the ground here ... They can't even provide a sandbag or anyone to put it around my house? What are they waiting for?"

Mayor responds

Mayor Cecil Clarke said the municipality is on high alert.Water is flowing quicker due to remedial work they did after the last flood.

"At this point, we continue to monitor," he said."Public Works is out, there's been no closure of streets or other larger impacts at this time."

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A backed-up manhole locatednext to the brook that flows by Doue's houseis adding to the flooding problem.

It was supposed to be fixedbut that hasn't happened, shesaid.

"I was told the engineer's office would come out. This rain was coming we knew it was coming," she said.

"I am afraid I am going to lose my home. I don't know if I can do this again. We need to fix the drainage in this city."

Doue has children and a husband undergoing cancer treatment. WalterDouesaid hewas considering postponing his cancer treatment Wednesday.

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"I don't want to lose my furnace, I don't want to lose my hot water tank. I don't want to lose what we can save," he said.

"And so my treatment for cancer, I might have to postpone until next week."

Bought house in flood zone anyway

Michael Coombs, a new homeowner in the neighbourhood,was working Wednesday to prevent water from filling up his basement by digging trenches.

"It makes me feel a little bit worried but it's to be expected," he said, adding that he knew the house was in a flood zone when he bought it.

"The basement isn't completely flooded so I'm not too concerned about it right now."